Most of us think jilted lovers are JUSTIFIED in posting revenge porn pics online, study finds
Psychologists found 87 per cent of those quizzed found the illegal act amusing or exciting
MOST Brits believe jilted lovers are justified in posting intimate photos and videos of their ex online, a study reveals.
Psychologists found 99 per cent expressed at least “some approval” of revenge porn in situations where a partner walked out.
Some 87 per cent of those quizzed even found the illegal act amusing or exciting.
Psychopathic men – who are impulsive and lack empathy – are most likely to upload explicit photos of former lovers.
Those who are sexist or narcissistic are also likely to offend in this manner, the University of Kent study found.
They find it easier to justify their actions and convince themselves that their victim “deserved it”.
It has been illegal to publish non-consensual pornography since April 2015.
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The offence carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.
But 29 per cent of those questioned said they would still consider doing it if their relationship ended on bad terms.
Women are most likely to be the victims – and are most likely to suffer from the impact of having their naked images shared online, experts say.
Victims can suffer low self-esteem, problems at work and difficulties forming new relationships. Some have even killed themselves as a result.
Study leader Dr Afroditi Pina said: “Revenge porn is largely motivated by the malicious intent to harm and humiliate the victim.
“Not all acts are perpetrated for revenge, and can instead be committed as a means of blackmail, coercion, or for the enjoyment of causing torment upon others.
“Higher levels of ambivalent sexism, Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy were all correlated with a greater likelihood to perpetrate revenge porn.
“While most people would consider sharing intimate images of themselves or other people online, without their consent, unethical, there are certain processes at play that make the perpetrators rationalise the act.
Revenge porn is largely motivated by the malicious intent to harm and humiliate the victim, who is often the perpetrator’s previous romantic partner
Dr Afroditi Pina
“These processes make the act seem more acceptable, and in some cases justified – such as the culpability of the victim in creating the images in the first place, or the victim’s alleged infidelity."
She said while men are affected, it's cheating women who are most likely to be punished by their ex-lovers.
Dr Pina said her findings could help identify potential offenders and should act as a warning to people considering sharing explicit pics with a lover.
Smartphones have made it easier to take and share photos but harder to control where they end up, she added.
The study, published in the International Journal of Technoethics, involved 100 adults aged 18 to 54.