WASHINGTON — Congress appears poised to outlaw revenge porn in the military by the end of the year, after senators included the provision in their draft of the annual defense authorization bill this week.
Similar language was included in the House draft of the budget policy measure earlier this summer. Although technical differences will have to be sorted out as the measure goes through conference committee work, the intention of both chambers on the issue is clear.
“Whether it’s in the barracks or on the internet, degradation and intimidation of our service members is a serious crime that threatens good order and discipline, and we’ve got to give our military the tools it needs to treat it that way,” said Sen. Clare McCaskill, D-Mo., one of the sponsors of the Senate provision.
“This will enable us to better go after these bad actors and ensure justice for victims of these exploitative crimes.”
In March, a story first reported by the website the War Horse about active-duty Marines sharing nude pictures of female colleagues prompted congressional investigations and promises from military officials of a crackdown against sexism and misogyny in the ranks. The work uncovered numerous online sites where pictures were distributed, with hundreds of current and former service members as members.
But few of those involved have faced criminal prosecution. In July, one Marine pled guilty at a