Understanding Your Legal Rights as a Revenge Porn Victim

You Have More Rights Than You Realize

If someone shared or posted a private photo or video of you without your consent, you might feel powerless. But you’re not. The law is on your side, in more ways than most people know. You don’t have to stay silent. You don’t have to “wait it out.” And you don’t have to carry the shame that someone else created.

What happened to you isn’t just hurtful. It’s a violation. In New York, that violation has a legal name, and it comes with serious consequences for the person who did it.

Our sexual abuse attorneys work with people every day who never thought they had a case, until we showed them the truth. At Horn Wright, LLP, we make sure you know your rights and use them to their full power. Whether you want the content removed, damages for the harm caused, or both, we’ll help you take the next step with clarity and protection.

New York’s Revenge Porn Laws Explained

New York law doesn’t use the phrase “revenge porn,” but it absolutely criminalizes the behavior. Under New York Penal Law § 245.15, it’s illegal to disclose or publish an explicit image of another person without their consent, especially if the goal is to cause harm.

What this law covers:

• Images or videos showing intimate body parts or sexual acts
• The person in the image must be identifiable
• The sharing must occur without the person’s permission
• The offender must intend to cause emotional, reputational, or financial harm

In addition to criminal charges, New York law gives you civil remedies under Civil Rights Law §§ 50 and 51. That means you can also file a lawsuit to seek:

• Removal of the content
• Financial compensation
• Protective orders preventing further sharing

Whether or not the person is prosecuted, you have the right to file your own case, and demand justice on your terms.

Federal Protections Available for Victims

While most revenge porn laws are handled at the state level, certain federal protections can apply, especially when the content crosses state lines or involves online harassment.

Federal protections may include:

• 18 U.S. Code § 2261A (cyberstalking)
• Provisions under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that address digital abuse
• Federal copyright law, if you created the image or video yourself

In some cases, victims have also used the Stored Communications Act or Computer Fraud and Abuse Act when their private content was accessed or distributed through hacked accounts or stolen devices.

These federal laws don’t always replace state action, but they add another layer of protection, and another path to justice. Our attorneys know when and how to use them in combination with New York statutes.

Remedies That Cover Both Emotional and Financial Harm

Many victims think they can only pursue one type of relief, like content removal or jail time. But New York law allows for multiple layers of recovery, addressing both the emotional and financial fallout that comes from having your privacy violated.

You may be entitled to:

• Monetary compensation for therapy bills, lost income, or career setbacks
• Emotional distress damages, even without a clinical diagnosis
• Injunctive relief requiring immediate removal of the content
• Protective orders to stop further distribution or harassment

Our legal system acknowledges that this kind of abuse doesn’t just cost you emotionally. It can derail your education, your job, your mental health, and your safety. You’re allowed to seek compensation for every part of that impact, not just what’s visible on paper.

Our sexual abuse attorneys work with both legal and mental health professionals to present a complete picture of your losses, one that courts recognize and respect.

Vermont Provides Narrower Civil Rights Remedies Than New York

If your case involves multiple states, it’s important to understand how laws compare. Vermont’s revenge porn law, while it does provide some protections, is narrower than New York’s, particularly when it comes to civil options.

In Vermont:

• Civil lawsuits are less commonly filed or awarded for emotional distress
• There are fewer options for obtaining quick content removal through court action
• Courts may not issue protective orders based on revenge porn alone

By contrast, New York allows survivors to pursue civil claims even if criminal charges aren’t filed, and judges frequently issue takedown orders or injunctions to protect victims from ongoing harm.

If any part of your situation touches New York, the sharing happened here, you live here, or the content is accessible here, our team can help anchor your claim under New York’s stronger laws.

How to Assert Your Rights Immediately

Knowing your rights is one thing. Using them is another. As a revenge porn victim in New York, you can start asserting your legal power right away, even before hiring a lawyer or filing a police report.

Here are steps that support your legal position:

• Document everything, take screenshots with dates and URLs
• Submit takedown requests to the platform hosting the content
• Avoid confronting the offender directly, which could complicate your case
• Contact a sexual abuse attorney to explore your criminal and civil options

Even these early moves show that you took the situation seriously and acted quickly, something courts often consider when awarding damages or issuing orders.

If you’re unsure where to start, that’s okay. We’re here to guide you, not overwhelm you.

Why Legal Knowledge Protects Against Ongoing Abuse

One of the most overlooked parts of a revenge porn case is what happens after the initial post. Offenders often continue harassing victims, threatening to repost content, or even using images as leverage in custody battles, relationships, or the workplace.

That’s why knowing your rights isn’t just about removing what’s already online. It’s about stopping future abuse before it happens.

Legal protections in New York can:

• Make continued sharing a criminal act, with escalating penalties
• Let you request protective orders without filing a criminal charge
• Help you regain control in personal or professional settings where the abuse occurred

Too often, victims suffer through ongoing harm because they think they don’t have enough “proof” or don’t want to make things worse. But once you know what the law allows, and what’s considered illegal, you can stop feeling stuck. You can take the next step with purpose.

Horn Wright, LLP, Makes Sure Victims Know and Use Their Rights

We believe every victim deserves to be informed, not intimidated. If you’ve experienced revenge porn, you have legal rights that cover your image, your dignity, and your future. Our sexual abuse attorneys walk you through those rights, step by step, and show you how to use them.

At Horn Wright, LLP, we help victims across New York pursue content removal, compensation, and accountability. We don’t just tell you what the law says, we use it to protect what matters most to you. We'll make sure your rights are used to their full legal power, and no one gets to violate them again.