BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a measure Tuesday criminalizing the publication of revenge porn.
Under the new law, abusers could face criminal penalties of up to one year in jail, plus civil damages. It also empowers victims to seek a court order to remove the images online.
"Our laws have not kept pace with technology and how abusers can use it to harass, intimidate and humiliate intimate partners," Governor Cuomo said. "By criminalizing the publication of revenge porn, we are empowering victims of this heinous act to take action against their abusers and showing them a path to justice."
The legislation defines revenge porn as the criminal act of unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image when done with the intent to cause harm to another person and when the image was taken with a reasonable expectation that the image would remain private.
