Watch Me
Page 29
Thank you to James Harvey and Rosemary Harvey for continued support, buying and voting – you guys go above and beyond, and I’m very grateful.
Thank you to Li Wania and Jenny Jarvis for still listening to me talk about myself, even though you now have much more important things to do, like raising your children (cuddles).
To my partners in lime Claire McGowan and Sarah Day: you guys read, listen, contribute, and take the piss perfectly. I couldn’t get through the next twenty-four hours (and/or bottle of Prosecco) without you. May our stream be deleted from history, but our books live forever. (Everyone should buy the Paula Maguire books and Mussolini’s Island.)
Thank you to mum and dad for putting up with me still. And letting me ask you a million questions. About everything. Always. I love you very much. Thank you to Guy, Hannah, Ani, Bertie, the Ewyas Harold Massive, and the Clarke Crew for being a warm and loving family (and for letting me bang on about feminism after wine). And to my perfect Sammy, who puts up with it all and still, miraculously, seems to like me (I promise I’ll try and be more tidy).
Thank you to everyone who voted for Watch Me’s forerunner Follow Me for the Dead Good Reader Page Turner Award short list 2016, and the Crime Writer’s Association’s Dagger in the Library long list 2016. And thank you to all those who have bought, read, tweeted, posted, shared, messaged, reviewed and enjoyed both Follow Me and Watch Me. It makes a huge difference. I’ve been overwhelmed by just how lovely book readers are. (Though, we all know that they’re the best sort of people.)
Q & A with Laura Higgins, Online Safety Operations Manager of the Revenge Porn Helpline
What is revenge porn?
This is the term given to someone sharing personal sexual images or videos of an individual without permission.
Why do people create revenge porn?
There are many motivations; sometimes as the name suggests it is a personal vendetta, often perpetrated by an aggrieved ex-partner. Sometimes the relationship between victim and perpetrator is not a personal one, for example neighbourhood disputes and even workplace bullying can involve RP. Generally the common theme is to cause embarrassment and shame to the person in the images.
How much of a problem is revenge porn in the UK?
Since launching the Revenge Porn Helpline in February 2015 we have received over 4000 contacts to the service. We still feel that this is the tip of the iceberg and there are many more victims out there …
What should someone do if they are a victim of revenge porn?
Firstly, talk to someone you trust. It is incredibly upsetting to find that you have been a victim of this and you will need support. Then come to an organisation like the Revenge Porn Helpline for help! It is helpful to keep evidence, if you have screenshots of any threats or accounts for example. You may wish to involve the police and they may require this information.
Are there main sites that host revenge porn?
There are dedicated sites that host this content, many encouraging the behaviour with financial reward and they make it very easy to upload content. We choose not to name them so we don’t accidently draw further attention to them! Sadly though, revenge porn content can be shared anywhere …
Can’t websites that host revenge porn be shut down?
Unfortunately not, the website hosts are not breaking the law, only the people who upload the content are committing a crime. Many also fall outside the jurisdiction of the UK and can claim their right to ‘freedom of speech.’
What if the website hosting the images is based abroad?
It may make it challenging to request that content is removed, however we wouldn’t let this stand in the way. UK court orders may not apply though, so victims are somewhat at the mercy of the websites themselves.
Do only images that are shared online count as revenge porn?
No, images can be shared via mobile, printed off as hard copies or purely shown to someone to fall foul of the law.
What if someone just shows a private sexual photo to someone else – is that illegal?
See above!
If you retweet or share a private sexual image of someone else, are you guilty of revenge porn?
Technically you could be, however there has yet been a case involving this. We would advise that if you see any content you believe shouldn’t be there, you should report it.
Are images which are photoshopped to look sexual illegal?
They are not included in the Revenge Porn Legislation, but could still be prosecuted under Malicious Communications or Harassment. The harm caused by these images can be just as serious as with genuine images; sometimes they are very realistic and unless the person viewing them was aware they were fake they could easily assume they are genuine.
What kind of people are most at risk of revenge porn?
Anyone can be at risk. The media portrayal is often of a twentysomething woman who sends selfies to a boyfriend, who then shares them on the internet to humiliate her if the couple break up. The reality is that we have supported victims of every age, many in their forties or fifties. Around a quarter of our clients are men, and many come from professional backgrounds: teachers, police officers, civil servants …
What are the implications if the victim is under the age of eighteen?
We try not to confuse RP with images of minors. It is illegal to produce, download or distribute images of those under the age of eighteen. Anyone who shares them is breaking the law and websites are legally required to remove them when they are reported.
What do you think of people who take naked photos of themselves?
Any adult has the right to take pictures of themselves. We live in a technological world now, where devices and the online environment are part of our everyday. It is natural to assume they are also now part of our romantic or sexual lives. Many women find it empowering to have a few ‘feel good’ pictures of themselves, and if they are naked or partially dressed, why not? Sadly there are a minority of cases where there has been a level or coercion or the images are taken without consent. These need to managed very sensitively. And of course, no-one ever has the right to share that image with anyone else; if they have been trusted by someone with this personal image, it was meant for them alone.
How many people do the Revenge Porn Helpline help?
We have taken thousands of calls and emails since we launched in February 2015. Sometimes the caller is another support worker, for example a domestic abuse worker or a police officer, but on the whole the calls come from victims. We hope that through our awareness work, and liaison with services to help them understand the issue, we are reaching many more people who many never have contacted the helpline directly.
How many people work for the Revenge Porn Helpline? Who funds the helpline?
There are three of us who manage cases, but we don’t all work full time. We are a really small charity but we do have a broad team of specialists we can call on which includes a couple of seconded police officers, social workers and online safety experts. We are currently funded by the Government Equality Office, but we are in desperate need of continued funding post-2017. In addition there are so many areas of work we would like to grow but are not yet funded to do so; this includes providing a limited course of counselling to help our clients manage the emotional fallout until they get back on their feet.
How did you become involved in tackling revenge porn?
I have been working in online safety for five years, and over that time we have seen an increase in issues affecting women and girls. We realised that RP was a growing concern and started investigating the issue. As soon as we started talking about it publicly and in the media, the flood gates opened! We were able to make a case for a service that would provide bespoke help for clients and were lucky enough to pitch to a government representative who really understood the issue. She helped us get the start-up funding we needed for the pilot project and the rest is history!
What legal or social changes would you like to s
ee to help fight revenge porn?
Sex and relationship education in schools is essential. It needs to start much younger and should include conversations about respect and consent. Generally I think we have reached a depressing point in human evolution, where we feel this type of behaviour is acceptable, and I would like to see more work done to challenge disrespectful language, misogyny and harassment, both online and off. Legally I would like the police to have better training and more support in managing these cases.
Can you ever get over being a victim of revenge porn?
Most people are able to move on once the content is removed. The dust does settle. Sadly though for a minority of people, even after counselling and police involvement, they cannot get over what has happened to them. We have heard from several clients that they have been treated for post-traumatic stress disorder after being a victim. That is why it’s so important for us to be there for the people that need us.
About the Revenge Porn Helpline
The Revenge Porn Helpine can be reached at help@revengepornhelpline.org.uk or via 0845 6000 459. The website also contains some useful advice and can be found at www.revengepornhelpline.org.uk. The helpline is open between 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Laura Higgins is the Online Safety Operations Manager at South West Grid for Learning, lead partner of the UK Safer Internet Centre, where she established and currently manages two specialist helpline services. The Professionals Online Safety Helpline has established itself as a lifeline for professionals who work with children and young people experiencing issues with digital technology and online safety. In February 2015, SWGfL launched a brand new service specifically to support victims of revenge porn, the only service of its kind in Europe. The helpline has received thousands of calls in its first year of operation & provides regular guidance to policy makers, government departments, media and law enforcement.
Laura has significant experience in public speaking on all matters relating to internet safety, revenge porn and the online abuse of women & girls, and was honoured to speak at the ‘Commission on the Status of Women’ event at the United Nations in New York in 2015. Her background is in operational management across different sectors of social care. She was a Committee Member for BBC Children In Need and has a very unhealthy interest in Social Media. You can follow her at @laurahiggins_
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Before Watch Me, there was Follow Me. Discover book one in the Social Media Murder series, an Amazon Debut of the Month.
About the Author
Angela Clarke is an author, playwright, columnist, screenwriter and broadcaster. Her debut crime thriller Follow Me was named Amazon’s Rising Star Debut of the Month January 2016, long listed for the Crime Writer’s Association Dagger in the Library 2016, and short listed for the Dead Good Reader Page Turner Award 2016. Watch Me is the second instalment in the Social Media Murder Series. Angela’s memoir Confessions of a Fashionista is an Amazon Fashion Chart bestseller. Her play, The Legacy, enjoyed its first run and rave reviews at The Hope Theatre in June 2015. She hosted the current affairs show Outspoken on Radio Verulam for six months in 2014, and has appeared on the BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4, BBC Three Counties and more. Her journalist contributions include: The Guardian, Independent Magazine, Daily Mail, Cosmopolitan, and Writing magazine. In 2015 Angela was awarded the Young Stationers’ Prize for achievement and promise in writing and publishing. She volunteers with Womentoring, and the RSA Meet a Mentor scheme, and others, to help encourage and support marginalised artists into the industry. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Angela lives with her husband and far too many books.
You can follow Angela @TheAngelaClarke
Also by Angela Clarke
Follow Me
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