A new study found that 99 per cent of people think revenge porn is OK when you’re leaking photos of an ex

NINETY NINE PER CENT


Despite massive efforts to criminalise and punish revenge porn, a new depressing poll reveals that 99 per cent of British people think that it’s justified when you’re posting photos of your exes online.

The research, which was conducted by psychologists at the University of Kent, studied 100 adults between 18-54, 82 per cent of which were women. They found that, staggeringly, nearly all of their participants said revenge porn was OK in some scenarios, like if it’s against a partner who walked out on them.

87 per cent said they found the crime “exciting or amusing”, and 29 per cent admitted they would consider doing it if their relationship ended on bad terms.

The research also investigated what kind of person would commit revenge porn, and found that its closely linked with negative personality traits like narcissism, machiavellianism and psychopathy.

Last year a Justice Minister argued that victims of the crime should be granted the same right to anonymity currently given to other victims of sexual crimes like rape, abuse and assault.

One woman, who was a victim of revenge porn after a one night stand, shared her story with babe. She said: ” I didn’t understand how to deal with it and thought that it was my fault anyway, after talking to the friend who found the video, she said it was my fault too and that was the general opinion. I didn’t understand why I was being blamed and they weren’t so I just ignored the whole thing cut them out of my life.

“Most people who I knew when it happened I cut from my life because I didn’t know how to deal with it. I lied to cope with it, so anyone I knew who mentioned it I pretended like I knew and it was fine and we all agreed to it because at the time I thought it was better to be seen as a slut than a victim”

Dr Afroditi Pina, who led the study on revenge porn, said: “It highlights the need for education on respectful relationships”.