Revenge porn is a uniquely modern phenomenon that shines a light on a fundamental flaw in how we approach consent, the internet, and acceptable behaviors in dating and relationships.
Equivalent to ‘digital rape,’ the nonconsensual sharing of sexual media can ruin lives – and often does.
But how does revenge porn happen? Where did it come from? And what motivates someone to take such a harmful action against a partner (or stranger)?
Academic research of – and advocacy against – revenge porn is still in its infancy, but researchers and support groups are finally learning about the behavioral trends behind the issue.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- A definition of revenge porn and other forms of “nonconsensual image abuse.”
- Demographic statistics about victims and perpetrators (with some surprising results)
- The rising incidence of revenge porn during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Existing laws against revenge porn and the current state of law enforcement
- Resources for revenge porn victims, including both legal and advocacy services
- How to protect yourself digitally from predator hackers
Background
The rapid growth of the internet has created many fundamental changes in our lives over the last three decades.
As the worldwide web gained mainstream adoption in the 90s, two innovations quickly exploited the new technology: online dating and pornography.
In recent years, faster internet and better technology have given us social media, cloud storage, file sharing, tube sites, and much more. All of these have had a demonstrably positive impact. But there is a dark side to shifting so much of our lives online.
Take, for example, dating and sex. The internet has blurred the lines of what’s acceptable and healthy behavior, while reducing accountability for actions that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.
‘Sharing’ is now a fundamental part of any experience for most young people – even sex. Sexting, nude selfies, and sexual videos have all gained mainstream acceptance as an essential part of dating.
Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the dangers of sharing such explicit, intimate media with someone they’re dating.
Meanwhile, the proliferation of pornography has created a warped sense of consent amongst many young people – especially boys and men.
Finally, we’ve reached a tipping point in dating and relationships. The Coronavirus pandemic accelerated the shift to online dating, with many people stuck at home and worried about crowded spaces seeking partners on apps and websites.
Even as the pandemic subsides, online dating remains dominant in many places. In societies across the globe, most people now meet dates and partners online, not through in-person social connections, work, events, etc.
Many people turning to online dating for the first time are unaware of the risks and predatory behaviors of other users. They can be easily convinced to share intimate and explicit content and details about their lives, without understanding the potential consequences.
All of these trends have been building for years. But in the last decade, they merged to create a perfect storm of unhealthy behavior that is having a profoundly harmful effect on people of all ages. One of The most notorious consequences of these changes is the rise of revenge porn.
The History of Revenge Porn
You’ve probably heard of ‘revenge porn’ – a catch-all term usually referencing image-based abuse and nonconsensual sharing of images (usually targeting women). Its gained more mainstream attention in the last few years, but the problem is much older than you probably think.
In fact, revenge porn is older than the internet – by about a century.
The first known record of what we now call revenge porn occurred in 1888. A New York photographer was caught pasting photos of “high society” women’s heads onto images of nude bodies and selling them in local salons.
Soon after, companies started using images of women without their consent in advertising, including a US first lady, Francis Cleveland.
With the invention of the Kodak camera, taking photos of women without their consent became a popular pastime for young men in the US. Advertising and media portrayed such activities as akin to sport hunting and shooting game.
In 1890, opera singer Marion Manola sued two men for secretly taking a photo of her on stage and using it to sell erotic postcards. The court case resulted in the first “right to privacy laws” in the USA and elsewhere.
However, this did little to stop the issue.
A century later, in the 1980s, Hustler magazine ran a monthly feature called “Beaver Hut” – reader-submitted photos of naked women, often without their consent. The photos included (often totally false) profiles of the women, claiming one woman “desired to be screwed by two bikers,” along with their real personal details.
With the rise of the commercial internet, online revenge porn soon followed. Early 2000s Usenet groups often distributed “real core pornography,” consisting of images and videos of ex-girlfriends. In 2008, the porn tube site XTube began receiving regular complaints that pornographic content had been uploaded without the subject’s consent.
These types of videos were so popular, porn studios started recording videos staged as revenge porn to grow their audiences.
In 2010, the first successful court case related to revenge porn occurred in New Zealand. A man was jailed for 4 months for posting explicit photos of his ex-girlfriend on Facebook.
However, the same year, Hunter Moore created his infamous revenge porn site “Is Anyone Up?” – the subject of Netflix’s shocking 2022 documentary “The Most Hated Man on the Internet.”
Moore created Is Anyone Up? as a platform for people (usually men) to share explicit, sexual photos (usually of women) that had either been shared privately or acquired through hacking. These photos were often accompanied by screenshots of a victim’s social media accounts and personal details, including their home addresses, putting them in real-life physical danger.
The site quickly exploded in popularity, with 30 million visits in November 2011 alone. Hunter was also earning $10,000s through advertising and merchandise sales.
No laws explicitly banned such activities, and Moore wasn’t uploading any content himself, just facilitating uploads by users. As a result, he was initially protected from criminal liability.
However, after considerable campaigning from victims and their families and increasing mainstream awareness and media coverage of Is Anyone Up?, the FBI started investigating Moore in 2012.
He sold the site shortly afterward to the anti-bullying website Bullyville, who proceeded to take it down. However, in 2014 More and an accomplice were arrested and charged with numerous crimes related to hacking, identity theft, and illegally obtaining private images from victims.
Nobody involved in Is Anyone Up? was convicted of a crime directly related to revenge porn, and they all received incredibly light punishment.
At the time, no laws directly addressed revenge porn, image-based abuse, or the nonconsensual sharing of explicit content. However, as we’ll detail further down, that is finally changing. Hopefully, if someone like Hunter Moore tried to create a version of Is Anyone Up? now, victims and activists would not face so much difficulty prosecuting them.
The Current State of Affairs
Unfortunately, while it’s an effective, attention-grabbing phrase, “revenge porn” hides the full extent of the issue. Nonconsensual sharing of sexual imagery it’s not always motivated by revenge, as was often the case on Is Anyone Up? And contrary to popular belief, it’s a problem that affects everyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, age, or background.
Governments, law enforcement, and private companies are struggling to keep up and find ways to meaningfully tackle the issue and protect victims.
Meanwhile, activists, victims, and support groups say the issue is only getting worse, despite the increasing focus. They cite a lack of adequate research and funding, misalignment between various stakeholders, and a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue as the biggest obstacles to overcome.
With this in mind, I’ve scoured all the latest research and clinical studies on revenge porn and contacted numerous people involved in the fight. The result is this comprehensive guide to the current state of revenge porn and efforts to curtail it.
I want to help stem the tide of nonconsensual image abuse, hold perpetrators legally and civilly accountable for an action that is essentially digital rape, and help everyone involved better understand the problem.
Understanding Consent – No Means No
No means — not-ever, no-way, no-how… NO!
Why should this response to having your nude image shared online be any different than being physically raped?
It’s not.
So when a close partner thinks, “Ahh, (s)he’ll never mind, or (s)he’ll get over it,” and goes against your wishes—that’s effectively rape.
Victims Are Not to Blame
Before we go any further, I’d like to address any victims of revenge porn directly.
The term “revenge porn” implies that a victim provoked the predator into sharing their partner’s nude photo on the internet.
In the end, I want to assure you that:
- You are not alone as a revenge porn victim.
- And you’ve done nothing wrong in sharing a nude image of yourself to a romantic partner, or even to an online stranger who then compromised your trust.
And, again, you have many outstanding advocacy and legal groups on your side. Don’t let the embarrassment or shame of being victimized stop you from pursuing justice.
The Problem with Victim-Blaming
Unfortunately, the shame and embarrassment around revenge porn make it extremely difficult to gather accurate statistics on the true extent of incidents, as offenses are vastly under-reported.
There are always two parties involved in revenge porn: the victim and the perpetrator.
The distinction between the two is relatively straightforward—black and white, hot and cold, good and bad.
However, you will still hear people saying: “Why would anyone take a nudie of him/herself if it meant that someone might spread it on the internet?”
Does the victim want to become victimized?
I’ll touch on the psychology of intimacy sharing later, but the most important for you, the victim, is that it’s not your fault for having a healthy sexual attitude.
Why do people victim blame?
- ’You shouldn’t have taken those pictures.’
- ‘Well, there wouldn’t be revenge porn if women didn’t make the porn, to begin with.’
- ‘What kind of person sends their partners nudes and expects them to stay private?!’
- ‘Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. If you take the pictures, you deserve to have them posted.’
Anyone who has discussed revenge porn and other forms of intimate image abuse will be familiar with such statements. Often, even people who support the fight against revenge porn still feel the victim (usually a girl or young woman) is partially to blame.
There are a few reasons someone can hold these conflicting points of view simultaneously:
Some people just “don’t get it.” Either they’re not aware intimate image abuse is a serious form of sexual trauma and abuse. Or they may come from a society or family where these issues aren’t discussed, or they’re from a generation that never sexted or took nude images.
Even good people are vulnerable to implicit, toxic views and biases. Open sexuality, sex positivity, and consent are still taboo subjects in many societies. Women’s sexuality is still heavily demonized (i.e., slut-shaming), while young men are given massive benefit of the doubt when they commit an act of sexual abuse (see the Brock Turner case, for example)
Bad things happen to good people. The idea that any of us could be victimized or horrifically abused for no reason is a terrifying idea most people are afraid to consider. As a result, when hearing about an incident of revenge porn, sexual abuse, or rape, many people will try to find fault in the victim to create a distance and assure themselves it could never happen to them.
The Impact of Victim Blaming on Society
Regardless of the motivation or reasoning, victim-blaming is extremely problematic and harmful behavior.
It significantly adds to the guilt, shame, and trauma a victim is already experiencing, and makes them more reluctant to report being attacked. They’ll be less likely to get the help and support they need and deserve.
It also spares abuser of any responsibility and accountability for harming their victim. They are more likely to repeat the behavior on additional victims, consequence-free.
So, before commenting on a story about revenge porn, saying it’s the victim’s fault—stop for a moment. Analyze your feelings, intentions, and justifications for holding this point of view. Think of the people you know who may have been a victim. How they would feel knowing you think they deserve their pain and trauma. Consider the example you’re setting for people who read the comments. Lead by example and show compassion for the victim.
Place the blame where it belongs: squarely in the lap of anyone who shares the intimate images or media without consent.
