RICHMOND, Virginia — If you send a nude or sexually explicit photos of yourself to someone without their consent, you could now face a $500 fine in the state of Virginia.
Bumble, a popular and self-described "women-first" dating app, supports the law. According to a spokeswoman, the corporation initially got a comparable bill enacted in Texas and is now working on legislation in California, Wisconsin, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Their efforts were motivated by a poll conducted by the corporation, which revealed that roughly one out of every two women has received an unwanted nude at some point in their lives. Nearly one-third of respondents who had received a lewd photograph claimed it had happened within the last month.
The bill will take effect on July 1, 2022, and violators will be accountable to the recipient for "actual damages or $500, whichever is greater, in addition to reasonable attorney expenses and costs," according to the bill.
The bill also states that the court may give punitive damages, which are normally awarded at the discretion of the court when the defendant's behavior is determined to be particularly detrimental, as well as take steps to prevent the offender from repeating the act.
