KINGSTON, Jamaica— Opposition Spokesperson for Foreign and Regional Affairs, Dr Angela Brown Burke is calling for tougher penalties to address revenge porn.

She made the call on Wednesday during her contribution to the 2024/25 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

“The growing phenomenon of revenge porn – where intimate images or videos are shared without consent, often with the aim of humiliating or controlling women – is a disturbing violation of privacy and dignity,” Brown Burke stated.

“This form of digital gender-based violence can have devastating consequences for victims, including emotional distress, social ostracism, and even physical harm,” she added.

Revenge porn refers to revealing or sexually explicit images or videos of a person posted on the internet, typically by a former sexual partner, without the consent of the subject and in order to cause them distress or embarrassment.

Brown Burke acknowledged that the Bureau of Gender Affairs has been improving its capacity to treat with victims of gender-based violence, however, she said based on reports she has read and after speaking with victims, there was still much work to be done.

“It is imperative that countries like Jamaica acknowledge the severity of this issue and ensure that adequate legal remedies are in place to protect victims and to hold perpetrators accountable.

“The government must criminalise non-consensual sharing of intimate content, thus protecting the privacy and dignity of individuals,” Brown Burke argued.

She charged that the present Cybercrimes Act is not robust enough, nor is the Cybercrimes Unit adequately resourced to provide Jamaicans, most of whom are women, the protection they deserve.

“We must act now to prevent further harm and create a safer, more equitable digital landscape for all, especially our women, who have been the majority of victims. Time come to take actions to protect victims of revenge porn,” she said.