A Massachusetts bill that would ban the sharing of explicit images and videos without consent was approved by the Massachusetts Senate on Thursday.
The bill, which is now before a conference committee to iron out differences with the House, would mean South Carolina is the only state not to ban “revenge porn.”
“With the passage of this bill today, we are closing loopholes in the law that have caused pain, suffering, embarrassment, and helplessness to survivors who have suffered in silence and without justice for far too long,” the Democratic senators said. We have taken a new step towards achieving this goal.” John Keenan, the Senate bill’s sponsor, said in a statement.
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“We are deeply grateful to those who have shared their experiences and advocated for change to prevent others from suffering in the same way,” he said. “Despite all the incidents we know about, there are countless others that remain hidden, so we hope the Senate passes this bill and the governor signs it into law soon.” I am.”
Senator Paul Feeney acknowledged during the debate that several victims were in the gallery, but the bill would not allow explicit images to be posted on websites and there was nothing they could do legally. He said it addresses the “embarrassment, helplessness and shame” that comes with knowing that someone has lost his life. To deal with it.
The Massachusetts State House is photographed in Boston. (Tim Graham/Getty Images)
“While it is heartbreaking to have to deal with this issue, we are here to send a message to the people of the commonwealth that we will no longer stand by while people are victimized and abused. “We’re excited about what we’re showing,” he said. “Make no mistake about it. This is emotional and sexual abuse, and we are here today to take steps to send a message that we hear you.”
Currently, minors who possess, purchase, or share explicit photos of themselves or other minors can be charged with violating state child pornography laws and must register as sex offenders. .
The bill would instead involve the Department of Youth Services, but it would also allow minors to be diverted to educational programs in lieu of criminal penalties. The diversion program, which teaches teens about the legal and illegal consequences of sexting, will also be made available to school districts.
The bill would also address the nonconsensual distribution of explicit images by adults and add penalties to existing criminal harassment laws, including up to two-and-a-half years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
The criminal ban would also extend to so-called deepfake pornography, which uses computer-generated images.
Coercive control, which advocates describe as a pattern of deliberate behavior by an abuser that substantially limits the safety and autonomy of others, would also be added to the definition of abuse under the bill. Examples of coercive controls include threatening to share explicit images, regulating or monitoring a family member or household member’s access to communications or services, or isolating a family member or household member from friends or relatives. It will be.
The bill would also extend the statute of limitations for assault or battery against a family member, household member, or person under an order of protection from six years to 15 years.
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With this change, the statute of limitations for domestic violence crimes in Massachusetts will be the same as those for rape, assault with intent to commit rape, and sex trafficking.
