Victims of Nude Photo Sites Must Speak out

Revelations that hundreds of nude photographs and videos of tertiary school students and young girls are available via a Dropbox are disturbing.

There are many theories on how these photos came to be out there and easily accessible to those who are sharing the links.

One such theory is that this is part of revenge porn. This means those photos had been shared between young couples while they were in a relationship. But when they broke up, the men sent intimate photographs of the girls, to the drop box, to get back at them. There could be other reasons.

But there are so many things that are wrong with this.

Firstly, why would anyone share intimate pictures of themselves with anyone?

Why would a young student who has her life ahead of her send such photographs to another person? Of course she trusted the other party enough to do so, but the photo was sent to the drop box?

And, those who are releasing these photographs are playing with fire.

Not so long ago a person was prosecuted for something similar. There are laws against this in Fiji. These young men who are also students in most cases are also putting their future at stake.

And these perpetrators will be taken to task, sooner or later.

It is understandable that many of these young girls are not willing to come forward and lodge a complaint with the Police, fearing stigma and losing face in society. But sooner or later, one will stand up and not be bullied.

To the young girls out there, you cannot trust anyone with such photographs.

You will need to make a stand and stop this. There are hundreds of photographs of you being circulated in universities, and every day a new person has access to those.

It is so easily accessible that a link of it was sent to a foreign student who is on attachment in our newsroom.

People overseas too have access to it. And daily, more people are accessing it and it will take only a click of a button to publish these on the worldwide web. By keeping quiet, you are not helping yourselve, you are just being pulled deeper into this filth.

There are people out there ready to help you, people who will not judge you.

You can speak with the Police Commissioner direct on 9906 989. You can call the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre on toll free number 1560 which is a 24-hour line. You need to speak up.

There are people who are willing to listen to you and help.