It has been nearly three years since Georgia Harrison was secretly filmed engaging in sexual activity. Stephen Bear, a reality TV star who was found guilty of voyeurism and releasing private sexual videos without consent, was sentenced to 21 months in prison on Friday.
Bear’s prison sentence “sends a strong message,” according to an ex-police officer who helped bring the case to trial.
Michelle Roycroft, who now helps victims of sexual abuse, harassment, and stalking, was called by Ms. Harrison after she discovered that Bear had posted a video of them having sex on the subscription website OnlyFans and made money from it.
Ms. Roycroft tells the BBC,
“Georgia wanted everyone to know that this was an unacceptable offense and that she could stand up to him.”
She says,
“I wanted to encourage her because she has a platform and is an incredible young woman.”
Ms. Harrison had the right to remain anonymous, but she opted to speak up in the hopes of encouraging other victims of so-called revenge pornography to come forward.
Friday outside of court, Ms. Harrison expressed her happiness and relief at the conclusion of the case.
She stated,
“Today’s punishment vindicates everything I’ve been through and gives a clear message that the police and courts take this situation extremely seriously.”
Shortly after Bear’s conviction, Ms. Harrison told the BBC that the knowledge that online videos of her were circulating rendered her “totally worthless.”
She said,
“People are gazing at you and experiencing sexual fulfillment over you, and you have no control over it.”
Due to Bear and Ms. Harrison’s notoriety as previous competitors on Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother, this case has become one of the most prominent of its sort in the UK.
2015 marked the outlawing of revenge porn, often known as non-consensual pornography or image-based sexual assault.
When sharing graphic images or videos, it must be demonstrated that the sender meant to cause distress or shame. This makes prosecution fairly difficult.
In November, it was proposed as part of the Internet Safety Bill that this provision be removed from the statute.
Ms. Roycroft, who has also helped develop a personal safety app for women, asserts that the case of Ms. Harrison demonstrates that victims should not be discouraged from coming forward despite the complexities of the law.
“People must understand that a criminal conviction will influence [the culprit] for the rest of their lives – whether they apply for a job or travel overseas,” she says.
That is a stain on their character, as it should be.
‘We admire Georgia’
During Bear’s 33-year-old trial, the court heard that he was a “self-obsessed show off” who arrived in court each day in a rented Rolls-Royce and a huge fur coat.
Ms. Roycroft says,
“He believes he has done nothing wrong and that everyone is against him.”
“But, you will be arrested and prosecuted [by the Crown Prosecution Service] for this offense.”
Hannah von Dadelszen, the deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS East of England, made the following statement following the sentencing: “Georgia Harrison has the right to privacy, despite leading a public existence.
“This was, however, taken away by Bear in an inexcusable attempt to make money. It is a felony to distribute or threaten to share sexual photos without consent in order to cause distress, regardless of whether intercourse is consensual.”
Farah Nazeer, chief executive officer of Women’s Aid, tells the BBC that she is “pleased” that a prison term has been given down. Women’s Aid has been closely monitoring the case.
“Image-based sexual abuse, often known as revenge porn,’ has a lasting and terrible effect on women,” she explains.
“This judgment conveys the correct message to young people, namely that this type of abuse is illegal and will not be condoned.
“We commend Georgia Harrison for speaking so freely about her experiences and for providing other women and girls the courage to seek the necessary support.”
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