A pornography site that published manipulated photos of well-known Italian women, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and opposition leader Elly Schlein, has caused outrage across the nation. The pictures, doctored and preceded by obscene captions, were either stolen from the women’s social media or other open sources and published in the site’s “VIP section.”
Politicians File Legal Complaints, Sparking Police Investigation
The website, titled “Phica,” has been around since 2005 with more than 700,000 subscribers. It was largely unpoliced until a number of politicians from the center-left Democratic Party (PD) lodged legal complaints, which led to a police investigation. One of those who emerged is PD politician Valeria Campagna, who wrote on a Facebook post that she was “disgusted, angry and disappointed” to discover her photos posted on the site.
“This is not my story alone,” Campagna penned. “It is the story of all of us. It is about our freedom, dignity and our right to live in peace.”
Some other prominent women to file grievances are PD politicians Alessia Morani, Alessandra Moretti, and Lia Quartapelle, who also denounced the “unacceptable and obscene” bullying they experienced.
The Rising Threat Of Online Misogyny
The scandal comes after the recent closure of an Italian Facebook group named “Mia Moglie” (My Wife), where men posted intimate photos of their wives and other women without their knowledge or consent. The incident has revived a national debate over widespread misogyny and gender-based violence in Italy.
In the past month, Italy’s Senate passed a new law that for the first time legally establishes femicide and toughens stalking, sexual violence, and revenge porn punishments. The Phica scandal has highlighted the urgency of these new laws and stronger protection against online abuse.