"Even Among Minors, There Is a Kind of Blackmail": Revenge Pornography Becomes a Criminal Offense

This form of abuse has become an increasingly common method of violence, blackmail, and threats, particularly among young people.

Revenge pornography refers to the publication, or the threat of publication, of intimate photos or videos with the explicit intent to embarrass and humiliate the victim, often someone who appears in the content.

"It is necessary to regulate the issue of revenge pornography, as we see that it has become widespread," the Minister of Justice emphasized.

A Widespread Problem Among Youth

Igor Jurić from the Center for Missing and Abused Children spoke about the issue on the morning program Jutro. He noted that this topic has been discussed for years and welcomed the state’s decision to finally move forward with amending the Criminal Code.

"We are often unaware of just how widespread this issue is. Our laws previously did not recognize it as a criminal offense, largely because such content was believed to have been recorded voluntarily," said Jurić. "But revenge pornography is one of the most common forms of digital violence, particularly among minors. Out of naivety and a lack of digital literacy, children often send intimate photos to someone on the other side of the screen, sometimes without even knowing who that person truly is."

He stressed the importance of educating young people about the dangers of sharing explicit images, especially given the risk of them being stolen, sold, or otherwise misused. “Such photos shouldn’t even be stored on phones,” Jurić warned.

From Private Lawsuits to Criminal Prosecution

"Any material that can cause emotional harm and involves your intimacy could fall under the category of revenge pornography," Jurić explained. “Most commonly, these are nude images taken by the individual. A typical scenario involves two people in an intimate relationship who take such photos or videos together. Then, after a breakup, one of them publishes the content or threatens to do so, as an act of revenge.”

Jurić noted that there have already been many such reports. Until now, victims could only file private lawsuits, and the court would determine whether there were sufficient grounds for further legal action. However, under the proposed changes, revenge pornography will be formally recognized as a separate criminal offense.

Punishments will be defined more clearly, and special care will be taken to protect the interests of children, he added.