Law banning revenge porn doesn’t exist in Mississippi. Lawmakers want to change that
There’s no law on the books banning revenge porn in Mississippi. State senators are taking steps to change that and join 46 other states in making it a crime.
A bill introduced by Republican Sen. Jeremy England would set punishments for those who share sexually explicit images or videos of a person without their consent in hopes of causing harm or embarrassment — also known as “revenge porn.”
The legislation, authored by Judiciary B Committee Chairman Joey Fillingane, passed the Mississippi Senate on Feb. 4, online records show. Banned material would include images of someone’s exposed “intimate parts” or showing a person “engaged in sexual activity.”
Photos shared during the course of a relationship that were meant for the recipient’s eyes only would also be included under the proposed law.
“Mississippi is currently one of only 4 states that does not have a Revenge Porn law,” England said in a statement. “With increased access to internet and various platforms, the number of instances of Revenge Porn is on the rise. Many victims of Human Trafficking also become victims of Revenge Porn — perpetuating their status as victims and preventing them from moving away from their troubled past.”
Since 2013, more than 40 states have passed laws against revenge porn, Business Insider reported. Mississippi, South Carolina, Wyoming and Massachusetts remain the only states without a law on the books.
Tiffany Ownbey, mayor of Belton, South Carolina, has been outspoken about the state’s lack of legal protections for revenge porn victims after someone leaked a sexually explicit video of her that had been filmed without her consent, McClatchy News previously reported.
“Several other states have extremely harsh penalties for things like this, and it’s time South Carolina gets on board!” Ownbey wrote on Facebook last year. “If YOU have been a victim of, or threatened with blackmail and ‘revenge porn,’ don’t remain silent. You are not alone.”
Former California Rep. Katie Hill resigned and subsequently sued her ex-husband in December after he allegedly disclosed intimate texts and “nonconsensual” pornographic images of her that were later published in The Daily Mail and conservative news blog RedState.
The proposed bill in Mississippi would classify revenge porn as a misdemeanor offense carrying a penalty of six months in jail or a $1,000 fine. A subsequent offense would be considered a felony, and violators would face up to one year in jail, a $2,000 fine, or both.
England said he and fellow lawmakers would continue working with the attorney general’s office to make the bill law.
“It is time for Mississippi to give our prosecutors this tool to go after offenders,” he said.
Senate Bill 2121 will now go to the state House for further debate.
This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Law banning revenge porn doesn’t exist in Mississippi. Lawmakers want to change that."