The House plenum on Thursday greenlit a law that makes ‘revenge porn’ a criminal offence, regardless of the victim’s gender, and punishable by up to 14 years in jail where a person is found guilty by a court of law.
The bill, tabled by Akel MP Giorgos Koukoumas, passed with 34 votes for, one against.
Revenge porn is the distribution of sexually explicit images or videos of individuals without their consent, with the punitive intention to create public humiliation or character assassination out of revenge against the victim.
Previously, a separate law relating to violence against women and to domestic violence had already stipulated prison sentences of up to 14 years in prison. But that legislation applied only when the victim of revenge porn was a woman.
Now, this bill covers both genders.
In remarks on the House floor, Koukoumas admitted the new law has “draconian” provisions, but said these are justified because of the severe nature of the act of posting revenge porn.
He cited data from the police, valid up until 2022, showing that of the 65 complaints made, only 17 of the complainants were men.
Meantime according to the CYberSafety centre, there have been 338 reports of revenge porn involving financial blackmail.
Later in the day, Koukoumas told the Cyprus Mail that other provisions have been tightened up.
For instance, up until now authorities needed proof that the perpetrator intended to harm the victim.
“The perpetrator might claim they were doing it ‘for fun’,” said Koukoumas.
But now, authorities do not need to prove intent – just that harm was caused to the victim.
The new law concerns adults only.
Consent from the person being depicted in the sexually explicit material will no longer be considered a mitigating factor in sentencing – assuming there’s a guilty verdict in court.
Aggravating factors in sentencing include whether the target of revenge porn attempted or committed suicide due to mental distress, financial loss, or when the sexually explicit material is later viewed by a minor.
Also, any ‘doxing’ – revealing the identity of the victim – that accompanies the publishing of the revenge porn will likewise be considered an aggravating factor in sentencing.
Commenting on the law, House Speaker Annita Demetriou said parliament was “sending a loud message of zero tolerance to this type of humiliation”.
Independent MP Andreas Themistocleous said that, while he agrees with the content and intent of the law, the legal sanctions are too severe.
