New York City had its first official event promoting the awareness of nonconsensual pornography!!! And what a launch it was!!! Major shouts to the amazing Dalia Sharps at the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence (OCDV). It was standing room only at the LGBT Community Center thanks to the unparalleled line-up, complete with many elected officials asserting their support to #EndRevengePorNYC (official hash tag of the event).
This was an exciting start to Cecile Noel’s tenure as the new Commisioner of OCDV. Opening remarks from Ms. Noel, State Senator Brad Hoylman, State Assembly Member Deborah Glick, and New York City Council Member Corey Johnson set the stage. The amazing Chrissy Chambers (yes, half of Bria&Chrissy, YouTube’s Singing Lesbian Duo) flew in to generously share her disarming story about her rape that went viral and her crusade for justice. My colleagues from the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, Dr. Holly Jacobs and Professor Mary Anne Franks gave presentations centering around the definition of the problem, the victim experience and emerging legislation. I spoke about legal remedies and tools I use — and my favorite tool, Lawrence Newman, Chief, Domestic Violence Unit in Manhattan’s DA’s Office, talked about the regrettably limited resources available to help victims, especially so long as there is no law.
Along with those already mentioned, co-sponsors also included Congressman Jerry Nadler, Public Advocate Letitia James, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.
Best of all, Holly, Mary Anne, and I got to re-make our pose from the recent Daily Dot feature anointing us 2015 Superheroes of the Internet.
