Bill to expand North Carolina’s ‘revenge porn’ law advances

By CHRISTINA SANDIDGE
Associated Press

RALEIGH, NC (AP) – A measure expanding North Carolina’s “revenge porn” law to cases beyond those where the people already have existing relationships could soon replace the existing legislation.

Current law makes it illegal for someone to disclose nude or sexual images of a person without the person’s consent and with the intent to identify the person and cause harm.

Modified language in a bill passed Wednesday by a Senate committee would clarify that the law includes instances in which a person obtained the images without the depicted person’s consent. It also removes the relationship reference.

Bill sponsor Republican Rep. Chris Malone of Wake County says that the change comes after district attorneys were unable to prosecute cases involving victims who were unaware that their pictures had been taken to begin with.

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