Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley announced the introduction of sponsored legislation to give victims of revenge porn more time to report these incidents. Senate Bill 23 is authored by Senator Susan Rubio (D- Baldwin Park) and co-sponsored by the California District Attorneys Association.
Senate Bill 23 changes the statute of limitations for the intentional distribution of an intimate image (Penal Code 647) from one year from the time of distribution to one year from the time that the victim discovers that the image has been distributed. Often, victims are not aware that the image has been distributed online until the existing statute of limitations has lapsed, preventing them from seeking criminal charges.
“Image-based sexual abuse is an invasive and increasingly common crime, which involves nonconsensual posting of private or intimate photos or videos,” states DA O’Malley. “These images are posted to social media sites to shame, embarrass, harass, and intimidate the victim. We must ensure that California law can protect victims of this horrible crime. I want to thank Senator Rubio for authoring this important piece of legislation.”