Apr 22, 2022
Why We Shouldn’t Say Revenge Porn Anymore
First of all….Non-consensual sexual images are not porn! They are a betrayal of trust and should be recognized as such.
What is Porn?
Definitions could vary but porn is considered to be explicit material that contains nudity or sexual behaviors that are meant to arouse sexual excitement in viewers. Mostly comprised of fictional and consensual programs that depict a wide variety of scenarios from which people are engaging in acts that seemingly invoke pleasure for some or all parties that are involved. Keywords to pay attention to here are fictional and consensual. Going a little deeper into the definition, Oxford dictionary supports theorists’ assumptions of porn as more specifically “material that presents people– particularly women– as mute, available, subordinate sexual objects, often shown in the context of violence”.
A Brief History of Porn
Depictions of the naked human form have been gazed upon for centuries in all forms of cave drawings, sculptures, paintings, and other art forms. The viewing of nakedness via photographs or films isn’t new; ancient art depicts many erotic scenarios of worship and fertility which we can recognize today in our own sexual worlds. Yet the meaning and reasons for consumption of naked art have transitioned further away from original intentions. Pornography became widely more popular and accessible with the introduction of the internet. Many researchers support the notion that porn as it is consumed today is harmful on individual, relational, and societal levels(1).
Porn is paid programming with actors and directors, neverending scenes and takes and not to mention many, many unrealistic scenarios.Spoiler: The spontaneity and intimacy of the porn world is all made up. Porn is fiction and the actors are paid so it’s likely consensual with the goal of creating entertainment for a public audience. Nothing wrong with a good fiction of course, but the problem here is really about the language we are using.
What Really is Revenge Porn?
While ‘Revenge Porn’ is catchy it isn’t necessarily correct verbiage for what is happening to the person whose intimate images have been leaked onto the web. When someone makes the decision to share intimate sexual images with their partner it’s based on a foundation of perceived mutual trust. Whether that stems from a desire to spice up the atmosphere of a relationship or a flirtatious sharing to allude some intimacy in a budding situationship, the decision is likely based on the premise that this image is meant for a singular person to enjoy, not a mass society invitation to gawk over.
The sharing of intimate images is usually malicious in nature. It brings undue, unsolicited harm to the person in the photos and that is the intent behind the release of such photos. There are no conventions dedicated to the consumption of non-consensual intimate images either…
State Laws Against Sharing Non-consensual Intimate Images
Did you know most states have serious repercussions for sharing non-consensual intimate images? As recent as 2021, 48 states have legislation that criminalizes the sharing of non-consensual sexual images, with rates of litigation expected to continue rising (2). Each state handles the sharing of these images in specific ways. If you are experiencing your non-consensual intimate images on the internet you are the victim of a crime and in most states this means you can pursue justice. Many states recognize the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) which is legislation that protects individuals from non-consensual sharing of these images. To learn more see our blog on the whole DMCA process (3). If you choose to use Loti’s service, we have a built-in DMCA takedown tool for your convenience.
Key Takeaways
Porn is fictional and consensual explicit material and used for entertainment of an undisclosed amount of public. “revenge porn” is a real life moment a person shares to enhance a relationship with an intended person that is shared non-consensually. Sharing of non-consensual intimate images is illegal in most states and is accompanied by upwards of thousands of dollars in fines and legal fees, and in some cases felony charges.
“Goodbye Revenge Porn. Hello Non-Consensual Intimate Images I’m Loti, Let’s Get You Home.”
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