Tonight, the National Committee for Families and Children is condemning cyber bullying, quote, "which has resulted in the harmful and illegal circulation of sexually explicit video of a teenaged girl." The advocacy organization is referring to the student whom we told you about last night - a teenager who is the victim of what is known as revenge porn, after a video of her performing oral sex act in her uniform emerged on social media and messaging platforms this weekend. We have have since learned that she has not been suspended as we had originally reported - her guardian told 7News they made a family decision to keep her at home so that she would not have to face the backlash from the video at school.
Yesterday, the Minister with responsibility for Women and Children told us that the Department of social services is looking at the case - and they hope to bring criminal charges:
Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Minister of Women and Children
"If the child is out of schools, that is very demoralizing both personally to that child and to the family and to the society. I hope that we'll get to the bottom of this quick and so that let the chips fall where they will be, but out of this coming for me personally I want to see criminal charges be levied against somebody out of this. That's a minor and we believe that we will give that child all the necessary support whatsoever the case may be. Our ministry is fully involved at this point in time."
Today's NCFC release notes that "the 2013 Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Prohibition Acts criminalizes both the possession and the production of any sexually explicit images or videos of children under the age of eighteen years. Possession, financing or production of such images carries a term of ten years imprisonment upon conviction."
It continues, quote, "We therefore call (one the)…public to refrain from sharing any lewd or harmful images of any minor and report such instances to the police. Parents are also being urged to speak to their children about cyber bullying and to keep tabs on the child's social media use." End quote.
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