Zara McDermott has opened up about being a victim of revenge porn.
Explicit photos of the 23-year-old were circulated on social media back in 2018, after she rose to fame on Love Island.
The Made In Chelsea star took to her Instagram Stories today, where she revealed she was supporting a campaign called Naked Threat – which aims to change the UK’s laws in order to protect victims of the crime.
“I’m going to speak to you guys about a very serious topic, something that’s really, really close to me and something I’ve been a victim of myself – and that is revenge porn, or as other people like to call it image based sexual abuse,” Zara said.
Zara admitted she had spoke to “thousands upon thousands” of women who have also become victims of revenge porn.
“Some of the messages I’ve had have shocked me to the core. I can’t even begin to tell you what women are going through now.
“In recent years, the laws have changed and it is now an offence to share an image or video of someone without their consent.
“However, the problem here is the threat to share is often being used to control women in relationships – which I think is absolutely heartbreaking.”
Domestic abuse charity Refuge launched the campaign, which aims to make threatening to post pictures or videos of someone an offence.
Zara previously admitted that the first time she was a victim to revenge porn, she was just 14-years-old.
Speaking in a candid interview on Virgin Media One’s The Six O’Clock Show earlier this year, Zara said: “My first experience with revenge porn was when I was 14-year-old. And again when I was 21. So it’s happened to me twice…”
Zara revealed she was filming a documentary about her experience, admitting: “What I’m trying to do with this documentary is to educate people to stop blaming the victim and show the true negative consequences of spreading revenge porn.
The reality star explained that a boy she was texting sent a private photo of her to everyone in her school – including her teachers.
“When I was fourteen, I had a guy who I was kind off speaking to… He kind of pressured me into sending an image of myself,” Zara said.
“He essentially sent it around my entire school, including the teachers, the following day.”
This was quite something to hear this evening.
TV star Zara McDermott discussing her upcoming documentary on revenge porn and revealing her first-hand experience of it at just 14-years-old.#SixVMTV pic.twitter.com/pMx7RMugO6
— The Six O'Clock Show (@SixOClockShow) May 28, 2020
Zara admitted it was “really hard” to cope during her time in school, and said, “I never recovered from it until I got my job in Government – and that was when I was finally able to become a confident young woman.”
“But it has stayed with me my whole life,” she added.
Zara also said she felt like teachers blamed her for the incident, rather than the boy who had sent the picture around school.
“I actually got suspended from school for it,” she confessed.
When she starred on Love Island in 2018, Zara fell victim to revenge porn for the second time – when explicit videos and photos of her started circulating on WhatsApp.
The upcoming BBC Three documentary will follow Zara as she tries to understand the motivation behind the act of sharing private photos.
On this week’s episode of Goss Chats, Goss.ie CEO Ali Ryan chats with award-winning makeup artist and MRS Glam creator, Michelle Regazolli Stone.
The celebrity MUA opens up about the ups and downs of living through the pandemic, and how her makeup range saved her.
#GossChats is sponsored by top Irish aesthetic clinic Haus of JeJuve.
