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Revenge pornography on the internet: The case of social media in Kenya

The case of social media in Kenya

Evelyne Wanjiku
Kenyatta University
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Revenge pornography on the internet: The case of social media in Kenya. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 40(1), 151-170. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v40i1.1515
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  • Submited: October 4, 2022
  • Published: October 5, 2022

Abstract

Revenge pornography, which is mainly understood as the publication of nude or intimate pictures
of another person without their consent, is a phenomenon that is increasing in occurrence and
constantly changing in the manner in which it is carried out. In Kenya, due to the absence of a
proper regulatory mechanism, perpetrators continue to carry out their activities with resounding
impact and devastating effects on the victims. This article uses discourse analysis to explore the
motivations behind non-consensual pornography, reasons and motivations for its prevalence,
which include revenge and punishment, entertainment/fun, the sexual objectification of women,
“slut shaming”, and denigration of the victim’s character. The paper also looks at the legal and
gendered aspects that allow the vice to continue being perpetrated. These include the lack of
clearly defined laws that capture the various forms that revenge pornography can take and the
lack of well-trained legal officers and law enforcers who can handle reported cases of revenge
pornography. The article argues in favour of reform of the current legal framework in order to
address non-consensual pornography as mediated by the tools of digital technology. This includes
a clear legal definition of revenge pornography.

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How to Cite
Revenge pornography on the internet: The case of social media in Kenya. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 40(1), 151-170. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v40i1.1515

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