A man from Yellowknife has been handed a 12-month jail term for sharing explicit videos of his ex-partner on social media without her consent. The 36-year-old individual was found guilty in court for distributing intimate images without consent. The offender’s identity is being withheld to protect the victim’s anonymity.
In a written ruling issued on July 29 by N.W.T. Territorial Court judge Stephanie Whitecloud-Brass, it was concluded that a community-based penalty was inappropriate due to the significant breach of trust, high moral responsibility, and retaliatory nature of the offense. Besides the jail time, the man will also face 18 months of probation, complete 60 hours of community service, provide a DNA sample, and undergo mandatory counseling.
The court revealed that the man and the victim initially met on a dating app in May 2023, leading to a professional and romantic relationship. Despite the victim’s clear instructions that no videos showing her face or identifiable tattoos should be shared, the man posted two explicit videos on the X platform in July 2024, shortly after the breakup. The court determined that his actions were motivated by a desire to harm and embarrass his ex-partner following the end of their relationship.
The videos remained online for about 46 days before being discovered by the victim. One video prominently featured her face, while the other displayed a recognizable tattoo on her body. Although the man removed the first video upon confrontation, he only deleted the second after being directly contacted by the victim.
Categorized as a form of intimate partner violence, privacy violation, and sexual offense, the court denounced the act as “revenge porn.” Judge Whitecloud-Brass emphasized that due to the videos being posted on a public account with numerous followers, the potential reach of the content was extensive and uncontrollable. Despite the defense’s plea for a non-custodial sentence, the judge ruled that a community-based penalty would not suffice, stressing the gravity of the offense.
The victim’s impact statement highlighted the profound emotional distress caused by the incident, including feelings of vulnerability, anxiety, and insomnia. As part of his probation terms, the convicted individual is prohibited from accessing social media platforms, except for personal or business emails, and is forbidden from contacting or approaching the victim.