During the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, incidents of revenge porn involving Bermudian youngsters have increased.
The Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Reform, Kathy Lynn Simmons, informed members of parliament on Wednesday that the increase is “only lately come to light.”
“The upshot of our children engaging in this type of conduct is that they are exposed, humiliated, embarrassed, or suffer reputational damage. Simmons stated in her statement that the stress and suffering put on the victims and their families by such acts can have far-reaching effects.
Simmons stated that the Director of Public Prosecutions has been ensuring her team is “adequately trained” to pursue the criminals.
A team from the Department of Public Prosecutions and the Vulnerable People Unit will visit Cedar Bridge Academy to educate students about revenge porn, intimate and restricted photographs, and child abuse content.
Simmons urged Bermudians to safeguard the youngsters of the area.
In Bermuda, laws prohibiting revenge porn were established after waves of lobbying by activists.
The law also makes it illegal to threaten to distribute intimate photographs, even if none exist.
Anyone convicted of revenge porn face up to five years in prison.
