WomensLaw Educating Survivors on Laws Relevant to the Threat of “Revenge Porn”

June 9, 2015

The threat of “revenge porn,” or the posting of intimate material (photos, video, etc.) without the consent of the person portrayed, is an increasingly common worry for victims and survivors of domestic violence.

To help address this issue, WomensLaw – a signature project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) – is augmenting the information available on WomensLaw.org on this topic by:

• Adding a new section to the National Organizations page called Posting Sexual Images without Consent/”Revenge Porn;” and
• Adding any criminal laws specifically addressing this behavior to the relevant state’s or territory’s Statutes page.

For example, in Maryland there is a crime prohibiting revenge porn, which is now included in the Maryland Statutes page and Crime page. WomensLaw has also added information to Pennsylvania’s Suing Your Abuser page about a victim’s right to sue someone who disseminates intimate images without consent. The New York Statutes page has also been updated with criminal laws regarding unlawful surveillance and dissemination of surveillance images.

Visit WomensLaw.org to learn more about the civil and criminal remedies available to victims of revenge porn in your state or territory. If you have additional questions, ask WomensLaw through the secure & confidential Email Hotline.