Rude Awakening
I woke this morning to find the internet buzzing about naked celebrity photos of women circulating the internet. The photos had been gained by hacking into the phones of the women concerned. There were quite a number of them. These had then been uploaded online and shared and viewed.
Hacking is a criminal offence. A crime has been committed. Small comfort to the women who have had their naked bodies posted around for all who chooses to search for them and view them. Some shared the photos on their websites only to gain a conscience later and remove them. I can't help but wonder after how many website hits?
Violation and Abuse
It is a violation of privacy. It is abuse. Viewing and publishing intimate photos of a person without consent is abuse. Gaining them without consent is a crime.
Hatred uncovered
Honestly I am angry. I am angry that yet again women's bodies are being used against them. It is objectification, sexist and, more than likely, misogynistic. By publishing the photos the hacker is gaining power over the female celebrity. I case of 'don't think yourself too highly or we will bring you down, we will try and shame you'. When did celebrity or fame become a price for privacy? Do we contribute to a culture of invasion that has gone more than a step too far by wanting all laid bare? Are our privates not private anymore?
A form of sexual violence
One of the reasons that the phones have been hacked is because money can be made from the publication of the images. Sexual objectification against a person's consent or will. Let's be clear here, it is a form of sexual violence. If we share, view or otherwise distribute the images then we are choosing to participate in that violence and for the culture of violence and abuse to continue.
Another choice
There is another choice. We can choose not to view, not to share but to stand with those who have had their intimate moments stolen from them. We can remove the shame from the victims and place the shame were it squarely lies: on those who hacked and distributed the images. We can call for the people to be traced and held to account for the abuse they have perpetuated. We can report accounts to Twitter if we think they are sharing the photo's. Could Google remove the links to the sites sharing them for example?
First Man Standing
Many men have joined First Man Standing. A campaign for Christian men everywhere to make a stand to never commit, condone or remain silent about abuse of women. We ask men to respect all women, challenge other men's attitudes and actions and join in the cause of ending violence against women. You can sign up here http://www.restoredrelationships.org/firstmanstanding/pledge/
Names
You will notice I have not named the women involved. This is a deliberate choice. We may know who they are now but websites and blogs have a habit of hanging around for years afterwards. The power of Google to bring back websites and photos long after the 'scandal' has subsided. Whilst this is a supportive blog, the mention of the names will bring back what happened and act as a permanent reminder. Until that changes I don't want this blog to be a body of evidence to remind someone of what happened at the end of August 2014.
The women have a right to heal, seek justice, and move forward. Let's not deny them that choice.
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First published at restoredrelationships.org Learn more about the organisation at http://www.restoredrelationships.org/about/