Royal Virgin Islands Police Force Family and Juvenile Unit is urging persons not to take photos or participate in photos or videos of an intimate nature.
Increasingly, persons, particularly young people, are reporting that their intimate photos or videos are being circulated on social media.
Head of the Family and Juvenile Unit Inspector John Antoine says while the perpetrator of such an act, who is usually a former companion or friend, can be charged for violation of privacy, the offensive images or videos may remain on the internet and in circulation indefinitely.
“We will investigate each case which is reported to us, but the harsh reality is that we may never be able to stop the circulation of these images once they are released. Therefore, recovery from this tragic mistake is difficult. My strong advice is to choose never to record or be a participant in a photo or recording that would likely bring embarrassment or shame if it was to be made public,” he said.
Under the Cyber Crime Act 2019, a person charged with violation of privacy by capturing, publishing or transmitting an image of a private area of another person can be fined up to $200,000 or serve a term of seven years upon conviction.