Italy's high-profile women, including top politicians targeted at the porn website, asked to ask legal action

A pornographic website posted changed images of high-profile-Italian women, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and opposition leader Elly Schlein, causing widespread outrage in Italy. The website, Phica, which reportedly has more than 700,000 subscribers, has published images from personal social media accounts or public resources, which added vulgar captions and sexualized amendments, reports The Guardian. Images contain politicians in bikinis, at rallies, TV interviews or public events, zooming in on body parts or to represent sexual positions, the news store states. According to the report, the site has put these photos in a “VIP section” for users, which further creates public anger. Politicians speak against online abuse Meloni, whose sister Arianna has also been targeted, did not respond to reporters, Corriere Della Sera reported, The Guardian said. However, several opposition politicians have taken a fixed position. Other prominent women targeted on the site, according to the news release, include actress and director Paola Cortellesi, known for her Italian box office that was hit on domestic violence, c’èan ancora domani (there is still tomorrow), as well as the influencers Chiara Ferragni. Democratic Party (PD) Valeria Campagna was one of the first to make an official complaint. She posted on Facebook and said: “I was disgusted, angry and disappointed. Not only pictures in a swimsuit, but moments from my public and private life. Among them there were sexist, vulgar and violent comments. I can’t keep quiet because this story is not just about me. It’s about us all. Alessia Morani, another PD politician, mentions the comments on her photos’ unacceptable and obscene ‘and adds on Instagram:’ They insult my dignity as a woman. Unfortunately, I’m not alone. We must report these groups of men who act in gangs and go unpunished, despite numerous complaints. These sites must be closed and banned. Enough is enough! ‘ Lia Quartapelle also shared her experience: “Like many other women, I was a victim of online abuse by unauthorized placement on a porn forum. I decided to fight back by submitting a complaint. Not only for myself, but above all for all the other women who were victims of this violence,” she said. Real politicians also targeted female politicians from the right, were not spared. Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini and the member of the league, and Daniela Santanchè, the Minister of Tourism in Italy, were also reportedly targeted. Online Petition Win Momentum Mary Galati of Palermo, who launched a petition from Change.org asking Phica to be closed, highlighted previous complaints about the site. Despite her efforts in 2023, the issue remained under the radar until politicians publicly expressed. The petition collected more than 150,000 signatures. The Guardian reports that the petition refers in a study by the University of Milan in 2019, and finds that 20% of Italian women experienced a form of non-consensual part of intimate photos. Law context and political reaction in July approved the Italian Senate a bill launching a legal definition of female indication and increasing fines for pursuit, sexual violence and revenge porn. The scandal, which is widely described in the Italian press as ‘Italy’s #MeToo’, set fire to a national debate on online sexism and the protection of women in digital spaces.