Massachusetts Senate passes bill aimed at outlawing “revenge porn”

BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts bill that bars someone from sharing explicit images or videos without consent was approved unanimously Thursday by the Massachusetts Senate.

The bill, which now goes to conference committee to hash out differences with the House, means only South Carolina has not banned “revenge porn.”

“With passage of this bill today we take another step towards closing a loophole in our laws that has caused pain, anguish, embarrassment, and a sense of helplessness to those survivors who for so long suffered in silence, without justice,” Democratic Sen. John Keenan, the sponsor of the Senate bill, said in a statement.

“I am deeply grateful to the those who shared their stories and advocated for change to ensure others would not have to suffer as they have,” he said. “For every case we know of, countless others remain hidden, so I hope passage of this legislation by the Senate will soon lead to the bill being signed into law by the Governor.”

Sen. Paul Feeney, who recognized that several victims were the gallery during the debate, said the bill addresses the “embarrassment, helplessness and shame” that comes from learning that your explicit images were on a website and that there was nothing you could do legally to address it.

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