A jury has awarded a judgment of more than a billion dollars to a Houston woman who became the victim of “revenge porn” in a case her lawyers hope serves as a warning to those who might target others.
The victim and her attorneys alleged her ex-boyfriend harassed her for years by uploading sexually explicit images of the woman online. The woman reportedly did not give her consent for such actions, KHOU reported Friday.
The woman, who asked not to be identified, told the outlet she had been living in constant fear after dating a man named Jamal Jackson Marques for several years.
The victim said the harassment began once the couple ended their relationship in 2020.
“[He] had taken nonconsensual photographs, video and audio of her intimate moments, and following the breakup, decided to publish the materials online,” attorney Bradford J. Gilde explained.
The man reportedly published the photos and videos on social media platforms and the pornographic website known as Pornhub. In addition, he is accused of emailing people the woman knows while also logging into her surveillance cameras and watching her inside her mother’s residence.
“He would hack into her Zoom and publish the material during her meetings,” the KHOU report stated.
Gilde told the outlet, “His purpose is to ruin her.”
WebMD defines revenge pornography as a form of digital abuse:
Also called nonconsensual pornography, it’s closely related to sexual abuse. A current or previous partner may share such images as “revenge” or threaten to distribute them as a type of blackmail.
You may have sent these private images to a partner. A partner may have convinced you to take explicit pictures, possibly in an effort to control or shame you. An abusive partner could even take sexual or nude photos of you without your knowledge.
The site also noted a coworker, relative, or stranger may also be able to access someone’s private messages and share them.
A 2016 study found image-based abuse victims can experience and suffer from trauma that is similar to what sexual abuse victims endure, according to Fight the New Drug, a group dedicated to raising awareness about porn’s harmful affects on people.
“These incidents are happening all the time, and victims of these type of crimes go to extremes. In addition to suffering severe mental anguish, PTSD, they also have suicidal thoughts and some actually complete the act,” Gilde told Fox 26.
In a social media post Thursday, Gilde Law Firm announced the $1.2 billion verdict, saying it hoped the outcome serves as a precedent and warning:
GILDE LAW FIRM OBTAINS $1.2 Billion VERDICT I am proud to announce that yesterday, Aug. 9, 2023, the trial team of…
Posted by Gilde Law Firm on Thursday, August 10, 2023
The victim in the case may not ever receive the money from Marques, but the outcome was a relief for the woman.
“I feel like I have been holding my breath for 3 years,” she told the news outlet.
