Despite being a criminal offence, revenge porn is an issue that still rages under the surface in the UK.
Now, former Love Island contestant Zara McDermott, who was a victim of revenge porn herself, is exploring the dark nature of the crime in an upcoming BBC Three documentary.
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Revenge porn - the sharing of private or sexual images of videos without consent - was made a specific offence in the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, and holds sentences of up to two years in prison.
But despite benefitting from some increased media coverage lately, it's still a problem affecting too many people - the majority of which are women - in the UK. According to recent figures, cases have more than doubled in the last four years with only seven per cent resulting in a conviction.
More worryingly, 10 per cent of people in the UK (nearly all women) claim to have experienced the humiliation. One of these was Zara.
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In 2018, the 23-year-old was shot to fame after appearing on hit ITV dating show Love Island. When she emerged from the villa, she was immediately told that naked photos of her had been posted online and gone viral.
Now, backed by the BBC, the influencer is telling her story and investigating the crime. "She wants to understand the motivation behind sharing such photos and make a difference for the thousands of young people across the country who are being so publicly victimised," says the broadcaster in a press release.
Currently filming, and scheduled for release later this year, Zara said: "I feel passionate about helping other people in the situation I was in so I'll be sharing my story in detail for the first time. Confronting issues head-on is the only way we can make change and I am putting my heart into this documentary in the hope that it will make people think twice about revenge porn."
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Over on Instagram, the star, who is dating Made In Chelsea's Sam Thompson, added: "My main aim is to bring awareness to this issue, and be a voice for those who have suffered in silence and to help make a change. I am sharing my story and being my most vulnerable, emotional and raw.
"This has affected my life and me as a person tremendously, and for the first time I'm confident enough to properly speak out and share my story. I am nervous to share these intimate details with the world but I hope that it will only make positive change and lessen the blame on us victims."
Fiona Campbell, Controller at BBC Three said: "With thousands of women across the country having faced injustices as a result of revenge porn, it's more important than ever for BBC Three to be exploring this issue. We're grateful to Zara for sharing her story with us and hope it will make a difference to young lives around the UK."
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For support and advice on revenge porn, call the the Revenge Porn Helpline for free and confidential advice.
Featured Image Credit: BBCTopics: Entertainment News,