Australian actor Olympia Valance ‘traumatised’ by nude photo cyber hack
Australian actor Olympia Valance has spoken out after falling victim to a cyber hacker who stole intimate images from her mobile phone.
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Actor Olympia Valance says she has taken back the control after falling victim to a cyber hacker who stole intimate images from her mobile phone.
The Australia’s Got Talent judge has posted a lengthy statement to Instagram, confirming she had “become a victim of a cyber crime”.
“I hope that sharing some of my soul will help bring this broader topic of conversation to light,” Valance wrote.
“I have had days where I have been exhausted and where the depths of my sadness have scared both myself and the people I love. I want to be at peace. I am tired of trying to fight. Despite having the police involved, legal representation and my management team, we have not been able to contain these images from being distributed. So, now I want to take some of the control back and use my voice for good. For positive change.”
Valance, 27, who dates AFL star Tom Bellchambers, said she had been traumatised by the criminal acts.
“I have been dealing with this for over a year now since my phone was compromised by a hacking of private images, which were then published online,” she said.
“Image based offences are considered abusive and criminal acts. Such offences involve leaking (in my case hacking) images without consent in order to humiliate, degrade, control and blackmail a person. 2020 has been challenging for us on every level, and this time has really rocked me. Taking intimate photos for yourself, or to share with a partner is not a shameful thing to do. Stealing them and sharing them online without consent is. We should be allowed to embrace our sexuality without fear that someone will take those images and manipulate them for their own gain.”
Valance, most notable for her roles in Neighbours and Playing For Keeps, noted the global movement of women taking back control after suffering similar abuses.
“We are strong, resistant and powerful women,” she wrote. “We have to figure out a way to stand together and say it’s the hacking and distribution of illegally obtained images, not the taking of them that is shameful.”
It is understood that more than 10 nude or semi-nude images were stolen from Valance’s phone and that video footage may also be circulating.
“Imagine the level of profound violation if this happened to your daughter, your sister, or to you. I am a public figure, but I am also a human being. I am not immune to these scandals. I hurt and I certainly feel pain.
“Like many other women who are also victims of this heartless and intrusive crime, I have to come to terms with these pictures being circulated beyond my control. If I didn’t have my incredibly supportive boyfriend, my loving family, my fierce friends, my lawyers, management, psychologists and the angels at Image Cyber Crime, I know I would have not coped through this. To all of you, and you know who you are, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for lifting me up when I was at my weakest.”