WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Madeleine Dean (D-PA) and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), alongside Representatives Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Troy Nehls (R-TX), and Maria Salazar (R-FL), reintroduced bipartisan legislation to address the distribution of private, sexually explicit images without consent – this conduct is often called “revenge porn.” The Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution (SHIELD) Act gives prosecutors a critical tool by establishing federal criminal liability for people who engage in image-based sexual abuse by distributing others’ private images without consent.
"Sharing someone else's private images online, without consent, is predatory behavior that causes grave reputational, psychological, and social harm. It should be prosecuted," Congresswoman Dean (PA-4) said. "People deserve protection from this disturbing privacy violation. To do that, we must close the gaps in current laws and ensure law enforcement has what it needs to prosecute these cases. I am grateful to Congressman Van Drew for his partnership on this bipartisan effort to protect the online privacy and dignity of the American people."
"In today's world, we are seeing children and vulnerable adults being exploited and extorted in ways we have never seen before," said Congressman Van Drew (NJ-02). "Perpetrators are threatening to share intimate images or videos without consent, preying on the fear and vulnerability of their victims. While the rapid evolution of our technology has made this possible, our laws to protect victims are lagging behind, and too often, offenders are getting away with it. This bill will strengthen our current law to keep up with modern threats and ensure that those who exploit others for personal gain face real consequences."
“In today’s cyber-centered world, the necessity of legislation like the SHIELD Act cannot be overstated. Nobody, under any circumstances, should have private intimate imagery shared on the internet without their consent. The pain that is caused by perpetrators who knowingly share sexually explicit or nude images of someone without their consent has ruined lives. It is weaponized to humiliate, harass, intimidate, and even exploit people who are primarily women. I am proud to cross the aisle, to join my colleagues and lead on this legislation to give prosecutors and victims the tools to bring perpetrators to justice and to further deter offenders from committing such terrible violations of privacy,” Congresswoman Plaskett said.
"As our online world expands in every direction, so do the threats and risks facing the American people," said Rep. McBath. "The shame of having intimate information or images shared online is something no person should have to feel, so we are doing our part as lawmakers to protect victims and empower law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable. I thank my colleagues for their collaboration on this important and timely issue."
The SHIELD Act would:
- Ensure that the Department of Justice has an appropriate and effective tool to address these serious privacy violations;
- Establish federal criminal liability for individuals who share private, sexually explicit or nude images without consent;
- Fill in gaps in existing law that prevent prosecutors from holding those who share explicit images of children accountable; and
- Protect the victims of serious privacy violations, while leaving room for sharing consensual images and images of public concern.
The SHIELD Act is endorsed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; National Center on Sexual Exploitation, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network; National Association of Police Organizations; Cyber Civil Rights Initiative; Bumble; Girls Inc.; National District Attorneys Association; Raven, and dozens more organizations.
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Coryn (R-TX) lead a companion bill in the Senate.
Full bill text is available here.
Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.
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