Revenge porn helpline 'to close' as government cuts funding

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/02/revenge-porn-helpline-close-government-cuts-funding

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A helpline for victims of online revenge porn is to shut next month after the government cut its funding, according to a Labour MP.

The helpline was lauded by the then justice secretary, Chris Grayling, who said he wanted victims to know the government was on their side.

In the past year it has taken 2,500 calls from women and men who say they were victims of revenge porn – the sharing of indecent images without consent – a crime the director of public prosecutions says is contributing to the record number of prosecutions for violence against women and girls.

Sarah Champion, the Labour MP for Rotherham, challenged Justine Greening, minister for women and equalities, over the funding cuts in the Commons on Thursday.

She said: “Some 20% of 13- to 21-year-olds have had unwanted pornographic images sent to them, and 5% of them have had indecent images shared without their consent.

“Why is the government cutting the funding to the revenge porn helpline … and how will you ensure that the victims have access to bespoke support when you are shutting the only helpline in March?”

Greening replied that no announcement had been made yet.

The Guardian understands the helpline has been in talks with the government for months about its future funding but has failed to receive any commitment of support.

It was set up by Laura Higgins, online safety operations manager at the South West Grid for Learning. Revenge porn became a criminal offence in April 2015 after a campaign by Maria Miller, the Conservative MP for Basingstoke, and Higgins.

The then equalities minister, Nicky Morgan, said the helpline would provide essential free legal advice on how to have pictures removed from the internet.

“Circulating intimate photos of someone without their consent is never acceptable, and we need to educate people to the dangers of sending intimate images, and to the hurt that sharing them causes,” she said.

More than 200 people have been charged and tried for revenge porn since the law was introduced.