By Dave Dahl/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – It’s been said that nobody knows what’s going on in a relationship except for the two people in it. That could range from sweet nothings and love notes to nude photos and videos. When the latter enter the public domain after the break-up, that’s a problem.
It’s called “revenge porn,” and it’s now against the law in Illinois, under a bill signed Monday by the governor.
“A young lady was cyberbullied, and she committed suicide,” said State Sen. Mike Hastings (D-Tinley Park), who introduced the bill.
“You’d be surprised at how many people feel threatened, or as if they had a noose around his neck,” he said, adding that a witness in committee had her reputation and career as an interior designer threatened when an ex held the intimate evidence over her head.
The non-consensual distribution of such photos carries up a three-year prison term.
