Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. 

Anna Richardson naked pictures prompt journalist to warn over revenge porn dangers

'If you do have those pictures, you're hackable'

Heather Saul
Monday 17 August 2015 12:59 BST
Comments
Anna Richardson attends the launch party of Style for Stroke by Nick Ede at No 5 Cavendish Square on October 2, 2012 in London, England.
Anna Richardson attends the launch party of Style for Stroke by Nick Ede at No 5 Cavendish Square on October 2, 2012 in London, England. (Getty)

Your support helps us to tell the story

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Head shot of Andrew Feinberg

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Anna Richardson has issued a stark warning about sharing sexually explicit images after she posted nude pictures of herself online for a documentary about revenge porn.

'Revenge porn' involves a former partner uploading explicit images or videos on to host websites in order to humiliate their victim, who is usually female. Some victims have also had personal information, contact details and links to their social media profiles uploaded with pictures or videos.

The images are viewed thousands of times and shared across various websites and platforms, compounding the victim’s distress. New laws introduced by the Government now makes it a criminal offence in the UK to upload the pictures - but hosting them on a site is not illegal, making it harder to have photos removed.

Within 48 hours of uploading an image onto a revenge porn website, it had been viewed over 40,000 times and received a number of sexually violent comments. Even more worryingly, she was also contacted by two men.

Appearing on ITV's This Morning to discuss her documentary, she said: "I think it's everybody's right to have naked pictures and enjoy sexuality. But if you do have those pictures, remember you are hackable.

"Once you share your photos, you have lost control of them."

Revenge Porn will air on Channel 4 at 10pm tonight.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in