Anti-Revenge Porn Legislation Proposed in New York

The law would make the non-consensual publishing of sexually explicit images punishable by up to a year in prison and a $30,000 fine

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Tom Merton

New York state senator Joseph A. Griffo and Assemblyman Edward C. Braunstein announced Thursday that they are introducing legislation into the New York state senate that would make “the non-consensual disclosure of sexually explicit images a class A misdemeanor,” which equals up to a year of prison time. The publisher of the material would also be subject to a $30,000 fine.

Though California recently passed its own revenge porn legislation, New York lawmakers aim to take their bill a step further and have it apply to victims whose photos were self-taken. California’s bill currently only protects victims whose photos were taken by the person who non-consensually published them.

Assemblyman Braunstein’s office told TIME that they are not interested in legislation that doesn’t cover all victims, and that they worked with Mary Anne Franks, a Florida-based law professor and revenge porn expert, to draft the bill.

“Disseminating sexually explicit images that were shared with an expectation of privacy can cause lasting damage to victims and should be a crime,” Assemblyman Braunstein said in a statement. “Passage of this legislation would make it clear that New Yorkers will not allow this type of harassment to continue. With the proliferation of cell phones and social networking, this problem will only get worse if we do not take immediate action.”

If passed, New York will become the third state with anti-revenge porn legislation on the books.