Nassau County lawmakers unanimously passed a measure criminalizing revenge porn, the act of sharing pornographic images of people online without their consent.
Nassau legislators voted 19-0 Monday to pass the bill that would make non-consensual disclosure of intimate images a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, $1,000 fine, and civil penalties. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran is expected to sign the bill into law.
“Victims of revenge porn often feel helpless after being violated so publicly — and in many cases, the law could not protect them in their time of intense need,” said Legis. Debra Mulé (D-Freeport), one of the bill’s sponsors. “That changes today in Nassau County.”
Suffolk County enacted a similar law in December. The nonprofit Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI) estimates nearly half of young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 have sent nude or seminude photos of themselves to others; two thirds have received sexually explicit photos of others.
Revenge porn occurs when these sexually explicit photographs are shared without individuals’ consent, including photographs taken without consent as well as images intended to be shared exclusively within personal relationships. Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be victims of revenge porn.
“Today, the Nassau County Legislature emphatically took a bold step to deter this reprehensible behavior that can wreak havoc on a victim’s life emotionally, physically and financially,” said Legis. Arnold Drucker (D-Plainview), who co-sponsored the bill. “This local law equips law enforcement professionals to prosecute offenders and empowers victims of abuse.”
