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Banning Revenge Porn
Status
Signed into Law
An Act to prevent abuse and exploitation
This legislation is a significant step forward in recognizing the insidious nature of domestic and sexual violence and the various forms it can take beyond physical abuse.
Highlights
- Makes illegal the sharing of explicit images of another person without their consent, also known as “revenge porn”. The law includes computer-generated images, known as “deepfakes.”
- Defines and outlaws “coercive control,” which is a pattern of behavior intended to threaten, intimidate, harass, isolate, control, coerce or compel compliance of a person that causes fear.
- Increases the statute of limitations for certain domestic violence offenses, making them equal to the statute of limitations for rape, assault with intent to commit rape and sex trafficking.
- Creates a diversion program for minors who share explicit images to teach them about the dangers of sexting, and allows minors to be tried as juveniles in Juvenile Court.
- Establishes a penalty in the existing criminal harassment statute which includes up to two and a half years of prison time and/or a monetary fine of up to $10,000 for nonconsensual explicit images.
"I hope that the signing of this bill brings some closure for revenge porn and coercive control survivors, pays tribute to the courage of those who advocated for this new law, gives hope to those who still suffer, protects those at risk, and from now on provides resources and recourse to those who may experience abuse."
- Senator John Keenan (D-Quincy)
- Senator John Keenan (D-Quincy)
