“We must reposition the victim in his role as victim so that the shame is not on him”, insists Sylvie Jonas, a lawyer expert in new technologies, personal data and cybersecurity.
Revenge porn “affects young girls a lot”, said Wednesday, June 28 on franceinfo Sylvie Jonas lawyer, expert in new technologies, personal data and cybersecurity while appearing Piotr Pavlenski and his companion Alexandra de Taddeo, for invasion of privacy. They are suspected of being behind the dissemination of sexual videos involving Benjamin Griveaux in the middle of the municipal campaign in Paris. According to the lawyer, it is important to “repositioning the victim in his role as victim so that the shame is not on him”. Sylvie Jonas points out that it is sometimes difficult to “find the authors” of a revenge porn. “But if this is the case, the procedure can go to the end”which is why it is necessary “file a complaint”, she explains.
>> “Revenge porn”, “doxing”, “kompromat”… Understanding these expressions used in the Griveaux affair
franceinfo: What is the hardest thing for victims to live with?
Sylvie Jonas: For the victim, it is the shock to see that an image or a sound that was thought to be in the strictly private and personal sphere is revealed. The most difficult is the consequences on his professional life, on his life in high school, college, withdrawal, humiliation, even suicide. We must reposition the victim in his role as victim so that the shame is not on him.
Is this a phenomenon that affects many young people?
It affects young girls a lot. There was a phenomenon a few years ago, which was: “Hit the poster”. There were accounts that were created by people, by associating a department number. People who were in possession of images of a sexual nature that depicted third parties were asked to put them on these accounts which were normally ephemeral. It was on the social network Snapchat. We encouraged the collection of such information.
“The specificity of revenge porn is that the capture is consented. The victim consents to the capture, but not to the broadcast.”
Sylvie Jonas, lawyerat franceinfo
We risk up to two years in prison, a fine of 60,000 euros in the event of dissemination. But in reality, are there a lot of lawsuits?
There are a lot of complaints. Dissemination is easy, going back to the authors is not always easy. If we manage to find the perpetrators, the procedure can go to the end. Now that’s long. We are not on a fast court time right now. For Benjamin Griveaux, we are three years after the facts and yet, it is Benjamin Griveaux. The fact that the legal proceedings are long is not linked to the shame of the victim. The fact that the victim does not dare to lodge a complaint, there, yes, it is linked to shame. In these cases, there are associations like e-Enfance which have communicated a great deal on these subjects. There is also a freephone number for minors. Do not hesitate to go through these intermediaries to be directed, repositioned as a victim and file a complaint, hoping that it will be prosecuted and that there will also be this reparation by justice.