Skip to Content

Is so called Revenge Porn illegal in England?

Hundreds of people in England have had explicit photos or videos published on the internet without their consent, with a number of high profile celebrity cases making the headlines and highlighting this deplorable action, but the question must be asked that in most cases the perpetrator is known but so few have been charged, so is their action illegal.

Revenge porn is not a new phenomena, long before the advent of the internet the distribution of images of a former partner were often posted to friends and family, it can be said that the internet and digital images have made the whole process easier, but always the same result to the victim.

Many victim of revenge porn are sympathetically told that no action can be taken, and in most cases the action cannot be reversed as the images or video are copies and copies again by other websites.

The truth is that revenge porn can be prosecuted under existing laws, what we do not have is a law that covers specially this act.

At the moment charges can be brought for harassment if multiple actions have occurred, these do not all have to be revenge porn, for example, one instance of revenge porn together with other forms of harassment could bring about charges. The perpetrator can be charged under the sex offences act, malicious communications act, protection of children act and the communication act, but in the past 2 years only 6 allegations have resulted in police action.

This we hope will change as revenge porn is to be made a specific offence in the criminal justices and courts bill which is expected to come into force in 2015.
Until the new rules come into force the crown prosecution service have update its guidance to raise awareness with the police, highlighting how prosecutions can be brought about.

In the UK there are over 30 web sites dedicated in distribution of revenge porn, we would like to see the owners and employees of these sites being made responsible and to face prosecution as well as those who have made the submission to the site.
Unfortunately the victims of revenge porn are often accused of being at fault, but signs of a shift in attitude are showing, and having a law especially for a crime shows that the action is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.

The media has also helped when reporting cases like Jennifer Lawrence, branding it horrific, which is in stark comparison to how they reported Paris Hilton 10 years earlier.

We are pleased that the CPS has given clarity to the police on how prosecutions can be made and that the government are acting with a specific offence, we hope this goes far enough.

Image Description
related news
recent articles
Major Change in Divorce Law - no fault divorces

Government to finally introduce 'no-fault' Divorce laws..

link

Defamation Law Solicitors | Solicitors

Defamation Law Solicitors. Defamation (also called calumny, libel (for written publications), slander (for spoken word), and vilification) is the communication ..

How to end a Civil Partnership.

Whilst a Civil partnership is different to a marriage in many ways, ending one can follow similar lines to a marriage breakdown...

Double Jeopardy Law

What is Double Jeopardy? and is it still Law in the UK?..

Double Jeopardy Law

What is Double Jeopardy? and is it still Law in the UK?..

link

How to apply to become a British Citizen

British Citizen application| Process.
If you are looking to apply to become a British Citizen, we recommend that you contact a firm of solicitors that have exp..

Children and the law - Committing a crime

Children and the law - Committing a crime.
A child under 10 will not be charged with a criminal offence but they can face consequences for their actions.
The..

Social media in the work place

Social media in the work place - Staff using social media in the work place can become a problem, productivity and performance can be affected by the time spent..

What is a Section 60 notice?

Over 2000 section 60 notices have been issued in London last year..

link

What is a Section 60 notice?

Over 2000 section 60 notices have been issued in London last year, what are they and do they work?..

Reporting a Crime.

If the crime is ongoing call 999, you should not put yours or anyone else’s safety at risk by taking action yourself...

Criminal Law

..

Image Description
Is there anything wrong with this page? - any amendments will receive accreditation - email us

Solicitors.com are not a firm of solicitors, and any content on the site should not be used in substitute for obtaining Legal advice from a solicitor regulated in the UK, Solicitors.com recommends that you contact a firm of solicitors to discuss your individual legal requirement. Whilst we strive to bring you accurate up to date content, all content on this site is not legal advice and is not guaranteed to be correct. Use of this site does not create a client relationship.

Information by area of law
Back to top