In Italy, a growing alarm has arisen following the revelation of a Facebook group where men were sharing private images of women without consent. This group, named "Mia Moglie" (which translates to "My Wife"), boasted approximately 32,000 members before being shut down by Facebook this week for violating their policies on adult sexual exploitation.
The group’s exposure has sparked widespread outrage among the Italian public, who are now expressing fears over the potential rise of similar groups in its absence. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, noted the removal was necessitated by the group's content, which included numerous unauthorized photographs of women—often depicted in states of undress—accompanied by explicit and violent comments from male members.
Carolina Capria, an author who highlighted the issue on social media, described feeling "nauseous" and "scared" after viewing the group's posts. She criticized the pervasive culture where men openly express harmful thoughts linked to sexuality without fear of consequence. In her view, this reflects an alarming connection between violence and sexual behavior in societal attitudes.
Further amplifying the outrage, Fiorella Zabatta, a member of the European Greens party, condemned the activities within the group as "virtual rape," asserting that such behavior falls far from being merely "harmless fun." She called for collective action from civil society and political figures to challenge this toxic masculinity.
Legal measures against revenge porn have been established in Italy since 2019, making it illegal to share private sexual content without consent. Following the discovery of the Facebook group, over a thousand individuals have reportedly filed complaints with law enforcement agencies specializing in cyber crime.
In light of these developments, awareness has been drawn to parallels with France's notorious Pelicot case, involving severe violence and exploitation. Capria questions whether societal views on ownership and control within relationships are echoed in both cases, exposing a troubling pattern of misogyny that must be confronted.
Meta maintains a firm stance against content that promotes sexual violence, emphasizing their commitment to creating a safer online environment. However, the response from the public suggests a deeper discourse on consent, masculinity, and accountability is urgently needed.
The group’s exposure has sparked widespread outrage among the Italian public, who are now expressing fears over the potential rise of similar groups in its absence. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, noted the removal was necessitated by the group's content, which included numerous unauthorized photographs of women—often depicted in states of undress—accompanied by explicit and violent comments from male members.
Carolina Capria, an author who highlighted the issue on social media, described feeling "nauseous" and "scared" after viewing the group's posts. She criticized the pervasive culture where men openly express harmful thoughts linked to sexuality without fear of consequence. In her view, this reflects an alarming connection between violence and sexual behavior in societal attitudes.
Further amplifying the outrage, Fiorella Zabatta, a member of the European Greens party, condemned the activities within the group as "virtual rape," asserting that such behavior falls far from being merely "harmless fun." She called for collective action from civil society and political figures to challenge this toxic masculinity.
Legal measures against revenge porn have been established in Italy since 2019, making it illegal to share private sexual content without consent. Following the discovery of the Facebook group, over a thousand individuals have reportedly filed complaints with law enforcement agencies specializing in cyber crime.
In light of these developments, awareness has been drawn to parallels with France's notorious Pelicot case, involving severe violence and exploitation. Capria questions whether societal views on ownership and control within relationships are echoed in both cases, exposing a troubling pattern of misogyny that must be confronted.
Meta maintains a firm stance against content that promotes sexual violence, emphasizing their commitment to creating a safer online environment. However, the response from the public suggests a deeper discourse on consent, masculinity, and accountability is urgently needed.
