The state Capitol in Olympia. Washington is one of at least 18 states considering measures that would crack down on revenge porn, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. State Rep. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver, is scheduled to speak today about House Bill 1788, one of her measures, would make it a felony to distribute revenge porn.
It’s been dubbed “revenge porn” — those intimate, personal images distributed over the Internet without the subject’s consent.
“In some ways, this is electronic rape,” said state Rep. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver, who is working to combat revenge porn this legislative session.
In many cases, sexually explicit photos that were once shared willingly with a partner are posted online by an ex after a bad breakup. The photos are uploaded to websites specifically designed to embarrass former partners. The person’s name, age and address are often included, and the images can prove difficult to remove.
So far this year, at least 18 states are considering measures that would crack down on revenge porn, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Washington state lawmakers are considering several bills that would make it easier to prosecute such crimes. One of Wylie’s measures, House Bill 1788, would make it a felony for distributing revenge porn. It’s scheduled for a hearing in Olympia today.
“There have been some incredibly horrendous cases that were very, very hard to prosecute,” Wylie said.
One woman testifying to a panel of lawmakers shared her story of a computer technician who stole images of her and posted them on a website years later. The woman, Kim, who did not want her last name published, told legislators how difficult it was for her to pursue any criminal action against the man. She had a difficult time convincing law enforcement to pursue the case, in particular because such cases can be difficult to prosecute.
Most cases of this nature are prosecuted using other crimes such as cyberstalking. Wylie’s measure would make it a crime to invade a person’s privacy by disseminating intimate photos or videos.
Luka Vitasovic, a Clark County deputy prosecuting attorney, said “any time you have something more directly addressing something, as a prosecutor, it makes it easier.”
He is also a proponent of making the crime a felony.
“I think there are a lot of felonies that aren’t as damaging on a personal level (as revenge porn),” he said. “It has long-lasting impacts. Some of the victims I’ve dealt with have concerns about family members or children. … These days it’s common to Google someone, so if you apply for a job, this can come up.”
In a victim statement from a 2011 case in Clark County in which videos of a mother were disseminated over the Internet, the woman wrote that the experience changed her “as a person.” She was no longer a trusting, gregarious woman and described the toll it had taken on her physically, mentally, socially and financially.
“Unfortunately the Internet does not go away, and that is something I have to face for the future,” she wrote. “I think what hurts the most is that my sons …have witnessed this transformation of their mother into something they have no concept of.”
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