Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr is taking action against intimate image sharing, through the creation and introduction of Bill 202.
The Protecting Victims of Non-consensual Distribution of Intimate Images Act, also known as Bill 202, passed second reading in the legislature last week. Should it move forward, the bill could see changes to an issue that is close to Cyr's heart.
Following the second reading, the motion is taken to the committee of the whole for third reading.
There are still a few steps to go before the legislation will be passed fully, however, seeing the bill make it this far is exciting for the local MLA. It's rare for an opposition bill to make it to second reading, with Cyr's being the 16th to do so.
“It feels good to see that we left politics behind in all parties, and are all working together to pass this piece of legislation. It's a true honour that I can actually move it forward and be able to contribute to an act within Alberta,” Cyr expressed.
The creation of Bill 202 was prompted by a discussion he had with his 11-year-old daughter about sharing intimate images. During this discussion, his daughter expressed concern that there was nothing in place to protect the victims.
“She asked me how nothing could be done against these predators or criminals that are sharing these things on the internet and are harming people. It got me thinking that there needed to be something,” Cyr said.
If passed, Bill 202 would create a platform where victims of image sharing could pursue damages for harm done as a result of the incident. It would also create protections for students who have fallen victims to having these types of images shared between peers or online.
Cyr is hoping Alberta schools will be able to take a more proactive approach by talking to their students about the bill, the consequences of sharing intimate images without consent, and how it will impact not only their future, but also the future of the person being victimized.
“It also brings awareness to school kids that if they are sharing these very private photos, it's going to have a lifetime impact for the individual that is being bullied,” Cyr noted. “In the end, once it happens, you unfortunately can't undo it.”
The bill will create a process where students who have been caught distributing intimate images could face consequences on a school level through suspension or even expulsion.
There are a number of reasons why intimate images are being shared without permission. Students have shared images as an act of revenge, out of anger, or by accident.
Cyr explained, “There are a lot of reasons why and how these images get onto the internet, but none of them justify the result that comes down to somebody being victimized because their privacy has been breached.”
Using Amanda Todd and Rehtaeh Parsons as examples of the impact this crime can have, he described the extreme measures students take to put an end to the bullying.
For Todd, sharing of intimate images without permission resulted in her shifting from school to school in search of some peace. The results of the image sharing followed her from one school to the next, regardless of her attempts to “escape” the bullies.
“The tragic part of this, is that both of those young ladies ended up taking their own lives, and this is something that was extreme,” Cyr noted, adding by talking to students about the impacts and dangers of sharing these images, they are taking a proactive approach and hoping to prevent these situations from happening again.
“This (image sharing) is something that is fully within our control. We all need to be aware that whenever you take a photo there is a risk of this (sharing) happening.”
Some of the images shared are being made public on websites strictly created for the sharing and victimization of young women and girls. In order to put an end to the use of these websites, Cyr has included a piece in his legislation addressing the profits made by these websites.
“Those profits need to be taken away from those businesses and the people who are making the money. That way if there is no financial incentive, people won't be so inclined to do it anymore. We need to make it so people don't want to, and until we can get to that point, we are going to be struggling watching our loved ones go through very hard times.”
Cyr continued, “The main message out here is to just be careful in who you are sharing your intimate images with. In the end, it's better that you just don't share these things, because the risk outweighs the benefit.”
