Unsolicited nudes are sexual harassment, but victims often have no justice

The UK took a stand this year, and the US should too. A Man Was Just Convicted of Sending Unwanted Nudes, Which Are Harmful, Traumatizing, and Illegal in the UK. "Cyberflashing" Should Be a Crime in the US Too.      Sign Now      Arfin,   If you have ever been a victim of receiving unwanted explicit photos, you know it is incredibly distressing.   In fact, research tells us that it can take a real toll on one's mental health. Unsolicited or coerced nudes are "associated with higher depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, and lower self-esteem." This year, the UK stood up for victims of "cyberflashing" (the act of sending unsolicited explicit photos) and made it a crime under the Online Safety Act. And at the time of this writing in March 2024, the first conviction has been handed down: a man who sent photos of his genitalia to a woman and a 15-year-old girl via WhatsApp is going to jail for 66 months. The perpetrator pleaded guilty to "two counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress or humiliation."   In the US, there have been some attempts from individual states to combat "cyberflashing" but none have gone as far as the UK Online Safety Act. The US desperately needs a stronger federal law to protect victims of sexual harrasment like this. Please join us as we call on US lawmakers in Congress to make sending unsolicited explicit photos and videos a crime. Sign the petition to make "cyberflashing" illegal in the United States! Thank you, Lauren Care2 Petitions Team P.S. A man in the UK will be jailed after sending unwanted nudes to a woman and a 15 year-old-girl. Sign the petition to make "cyberflashing" illegal in the US.      Sign Now