We have seen in so many ways how the internet has been wielded to punish women for owning/expressing their sexuality: Through cyber bullying, cancel culture, hyper sexualization/objectification (erasing other forms of female self-expression because you’re unable to view them as anything but sexual).
The relationship society has with the female body is dangerous. People (read: men) go to lengths to see us naked— begging (see also: harassing), paying, and even going as far as using force to assault us. But when a woman on her own free will embraces the sexual being she rightfully is, the backlash she faces is unimaginable.
So really, the delight most people derive from naked female bodies or female bodies in intimate scenarios is a sick pleasure, not in the beauty that is the body, but the ability to control what it can do, and with who it can do things with.
Revenge porn is a raging virus in this digital age that perpetuates rape culture. It literally stems from lack of consent, putting its victims in ineffable distress and making them a subject of ridicule in a society that defines a woman’s worth by her sexual ‘purity’. I believe the worst part of revenge porn is the unending nature to it. After all, does the internet ever forget? Filled with people that are not only misogynistic, but also judgmental.
What Is Revenge Porn?
If you have ever used any social media platform, I can bet that at least once you have heard of the nudes or sex tape of a woman being released on the internet without her knowledge, probably by a pained past lover or a random anonymous stranger or even a friend.
If you truly use social media platforms, you would know that these intimate videos/pictures spread like wildfire with various reactions ranging from amusement to shock, anger being the least. You would also know that a lot of victim blaming goes on. A woman’s private videos are leaked but the whole world is asking her why she made those videos in the first place. You would know that though these videos might get taken down from said platform, sometimes, they never really go away.
Read: The Children Of Porn Hub
The shame follows the violated woman as she tries to navigate her new infamous status. And without the right support (something Nigerian women rarely get), she may spend her whole life defined by what has happened to her.
Revenge Porn in definite terms is the distribution of sexually explicit images or videos of individuals without their consent.
As A Nigerian Woman, Can I Seek Legal Redress If I Am A Victim Of Revenge Porn?
With the initial knowledge I had, I yinmu’ed when I considered the possibility of a Nigerian Law that criminalized revenge porn. I thought the Law will be like the average Nigerian man, castigating you for choosing to be sexual in the first place. Surprisingly, criminal prosecutions can be made against your abuser under Section 170 of the Nigerian Criminal Code:
Any person who knowingly sends, or attempts to send, by post anything which;
(a) encloses anything, whether living or inanimate, of such a nature as to be likely to injure any other thing in the course of conveyance, or to injure any person; or
The above provision is seriously lacking because it only criminalizes the non-consensual distribution of sexually explicit material via Post.
However, a newer legislation accommodates revenge porn via digital means. Section 24 of The Cybercrimes Act of Nigeria 2015:
(a) Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character or causes any such message or matter to be so sent; or
(b) he knows to be false for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent: commits an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7,000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 3 years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
I believe that apart from Criminal prosecutions which emphasizes punishment for offenders, one should be able to institute a civil action where you can obtain compensation (financial or otherwise) for the distress you suffered as a result of your abuser’s actions. This is not far fetched because your Right to Privacy as guaranteed by Section 37 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution has been violated.
The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected.
Apparently, copyright claims are also being used as a means of seeking damages for the emotional distress and reputational harm caused by Revenge Porn. If you captured the media that was released without your consent, you have ownership of that photo/ video and the exclusive rights to reproduce that media which lies in your power, therefore you might be able to sue your abuser under copyright laws for disseminating your content without authorization.
I hope this basic legal knowledge emboldens you (if you are ever caught in the middle of revenge porn) to lawyer up, and get justice for yourself. Be hopeful, although there have been relatively few legal cases of revenge porn in Nigeria, the law has sometimes worked in favor of the women whose privacy were violated.
What Are Some Alternative Solutions If I Ever Find Myself In This Intrusive Situation?
1. Contact The Site
If your maliciously shared images are selfies or videos that you took yourself— you own the copyright.
Hence, if they land on any media sharing site (From Youtube to PornHub), contact the website and explain the content is yours and it’s being shared without your consent.
2) Report The Content
Over the years, social media platforms have tried to create a safe(r) avenue for its users by enabling features that remove harmful or distressing content from their platforms. If any sexually explicit material of yours ever makes it to such sites, you can mass report it and get it removed. You can also report the individual user that posted your private images/videos and have their profile removed.
3) Ask Google For Help
Google, the world’s biggest search engine in its policy has made it easier for revenge porn victims to prevent their private media from appearing in search results. To request removal of your content, use this form.
4) Contact These Organizations
These Nigerian based social justice organizations protect victims of gender based violence through advocacy and support:
The current Nigerian Law on Revenge Porn is inadequate. Not only does any code or legislation fail to strictly define Revenge Porn as a crime, but also the laws that we interpret as criminalizing revenge porn do not provide sufficient jail time for offenders and makes no express compensation for victims. The law should also seek to provide rehabilitation services for people who have been traumatized by this crime. This is a fight for all.
If ever you are a victim of revenge porn or if you’re being threatened with your private media, I know it is easier said than done, but do not be afraid to speak up, thousands of people are behind you in this fight.
I hate to tell you to be more careful. I hate to spread the message of telling you that your duty is to be cautious at all times, to shrink yourself so you do not get hurt, just because you exist as a woman. But for now, it might be the only way to survive.
I would say send nudes only to people you fully trust, but people do not carry a placard stating the degree of their evilness.
So, some safety tips are: Send your nudes on apps like snapchat where the messages delete automatically or where you can track if someone saved a message you sent. Send your nudes that don’t show your face or any major body indicator like tattoos. Lastly, record your intimate moments on your phone rather than your partner’s device.
Most importantly, be gentle with yourself if you ever share yourself with someone who you trusted but ended up using your vulnerability as a weapon against you. The shame, it lies with them.
Leaving you with this quote:
Not sluts, nor saints—just women.
