Liège correctional court convicted a man for creating and managing numerous websites on which he dispersed revenge porn. Dozens of victims were affected.
The man has been convicted for distributing intimate photos and videos of people, mainly women, without their consent, for humiliation and revenge. The phenomenon is commonly referred to as 'revenge porn'.
The crime came to light when the Institute for Gender Equality received an anonymous report in June 2021, pointing to the existence of websites that allowed and even encouraged the dissemination of sexually graphic images, often accompanied by personal information about the victims.
The Institute reported the websites to the Public Prosecutor's Office and a criminal investigation followed, which also uncovered other criminal offences committed by the suspect. "He had made 'deep nudes' [ed. realistic but completely fake images or videos of another person, using artificial intelligence] with photos of a woman," the Institute said.
The case was referred to the Liège correctional court, and the Institute was a civil party in the case.
Counselling and fine
On Thursday, the Institute confirmed that the prosecuted man was found guilty of distributing intimate content without permission with malicious intent and for profit. He was also found guilty of voyeurism for the "deep nudes".
"He received a fine and was also sentenced to 18 months in prison if he failed to comply with certain conditions imposed by the court, including psychological counselling and a period of two years without offences," the Institute said. He also has to pay "token damages" of €1 to the Institute.
According to the Institute, the verdict is another step in the fight against online sexual violence. "This is affecting more and more people, and has devastating personal and professional consequences. This case, involving dozens of victims, shows the extent to which sexual cyber violence can occur."
People who witness digital sexual violence can contact the Institute via the free number 0800/12/800. There is also a step-by-step guide explaining how people can report such images.
