Revenge porn’ victim calls for law change
Why should I be made to feel like the criminal? asks victim
If you Google Keeley Richards-Shaw’s name, it will bring up a criminal case she wishes her name wasn’t associated with.
In July, her ex-Alec Brewer became the first person sentenced under new “revenge porn’ laws for sharing those explicit images of her.
The single mum doesn’t regret bringing him to justice.
But yet, despite being the victim, Keeley feels a l egal loophole meant was named and shamed just as much as he was.
Victims of sexual offence s are allowed auto mati c lifelong anonymity – but the loophole means “revenge porn” victims aren’t afforded that same right.
She is calling for that law to change immediately.
“How is it fair that my name i s thrown out there when I’m the victim?,” said the 31-year-old.
Scarborough Magistrates’ Court heard how 29-year-old barman Brewer committed an “unforgivable breach of trust” by secretly snapping his naked ex.
He then shared the pictures of Keeley with his new partner.
Brewer could have been jailed for two years, but was instead handed a suspended sentence.
That landmark sentencing made national headlines, although Keeley claims most of that was because the tabloid press could feast on details they would usually be forbidden from printing.
“I had only told a few people about the court case before it happened, but by the end I was having to get rid of national press from my doorstep,” she said.
“The whole thing wasn’t right, I hadn’t done anything wrong yet I was walking along the street with my daughter feeling paranoid that every- one knew these personal details about me.”
Her fight has won the support of Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.
She said she has been concerned about the loophole for some time, adding: “It is not right that victims of very personal, very distressing crimes can then be violated again by stories being played out in public.
“I will be coalescing MPs and others around this i ssue to see if we can fight for a change in the law, and to better support and protect victims of crime.”
Specific “revenge porn” legislation, which makes it illegal to share intimate images without the subject’s consent, was introduced after 149 offences were reported nationally which would have met the criteria of the new law.
Only six of these were prosecuted.
Since then there h ave been scores of convictions, including Scarborough scorned romeo Adam Pietrzyk.
The jilted 47-year-old took revenge on his partner by sending x-rated snaps of the victim – to her mum.
But Keeley said many victims may not come forward to the police if a safety net isn’t there to ensure they don’t feel shamed. And calling for the law change, she added: “I will do everything I can to make sure others don’t go through what I did.”