What Hulk Hogan Can Teach Us About the Need for Revenge Porn Laws
With comedian John Oliver's poignant rant about revenge porn—the nonconsensual distribution of sexually explicit images without the subject's consent—this problem is finally getting the exposure it deserves. Now we can add another unlikely ally to the cause, former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan. The reality TV star is suing Gawker for distributing a lurid sex tape, in which he is the subject, without his permission. His unflinching quest for justice is a prime example of the challenges that victims encounter, the inadequacy of the legal system in providing meaningful relief and the overwhelming need for congressional action. Daniel Castro and Alan McQuinn argue in The Hill that Congress should move expediently to take up legislation banning revenge porn—such as Rep. Jackie Speier's (D-Calif.) much-anticipated Intimate Privacy Protection Act—because everyone deserves to choose when and how their nude images can be seen.
