(AP) – A Missouri House committee is considering legislation that would outlaw a phenomenon known as “revenge pornography.”
“Revenge porn” is posting online sexually explicit photos or videos of ex-romantic partners as a way of humiliating them.
Sponsoring Rep. Kevin Engler told the House public safety committee Thursday that revenge porn can have a devastating effect on a person’s life. The Farmington Republican’s legislation would prohibit someone from observing and then disclosing images of intimate sexual acts without the other person’s consent.
Disclosing the explicit images would be considered a felony and is punishable by up to four years in prison.
The panel did not vote on Engler’s bill. Other states, including Pennsylvania and Virginia, are considering similar measures.