Channel Seven’s Sunrise apologises for victim-blaming 400 Adelaide women, teens whose nude images were stolen by US website

TOP-rating morning show Sunrise has apologised after being accused of “victim-blaming” more than 400 Adelaide women and teens exploited by a US website.

Person using Google to search the internet. Picture: iStock

• 400 women exploited: how The Advertiser broke the story
• Amy Cornes: I won’t let pathetic people win
• “Adelaide nudes” site down but photos remain online
• Editorial: Warped “revenge porn” victimises women

CHANNEL Seven’s top-rating morning show has apologised after being accused of “victim-blaming” more than 400 Adelaide women and teens being exploited by a US website.

Yesterday, a post on the Facebook page for Sunrise asked “what’s it going to take for women to get the message about taking and sending nude photos”?

The question — which ignores the fact the images were stolen from the women’s personal social media accounts and posted without their consent — sparked furious reactions online.

Twitter users started the hashtag #forshameSunrise while a change.org petition called on the show’s executive producer, Michael Bell, to apologise.

“It is never the fault of women or girls for sharing nude photos or trusting their partners ... it is the fault of organised predatory, spiteful people who have abused trust,” the petition read.

“Due to these people’s actions these images are now open to further misuse and unconsensual sharing.

“It is time for Sunrise to put the blame where it really lies — on the people who share private pictures to ruin someone’s life and the culture that dismisses this!’”

Yahoo7, which operates the Sunrise Facebook page, deleted the post and issued an apology.

“We apologise unreservedly to anyone offended by a post that was made on the Sunrise Facebook page regarding nude photos and online security yesterday, and in particular to the victims,” it said.

“Whilst it was not our intention we appreciate that the wording of the post was insensitive.”

The Facebook post by Sunrise which has infuriated women.

The post also drew the ire of writer, columnist and prominent feminist Clementine Ford, who responded with a blistering, expletive-laden Facebook post of her own.

Ford said she had taken nude photos throughout her life for many reasons because it is her choice, and her right, to do so.

“None of that means I have asked for my privacy to be violated, my photos stolen and my very self made available for public humiliation and judgment,” she wrote.

“(Channel 7) is saying it’s the responsibility of victims of crime and assault to prevent it and not the responsibility of society to make such crimes intolerable and unacceptable.

“Consent is what happens when you give permission. Theft and assault is what happens when people take it from you despite you saying no.”

The database, revealed by The Advertiser on Wednesday, contains nude or revealing photos of more than 400 Adelaide women and teenagers — some allegedly under the age of consent.

The user who first posted the photos on a US-based website promised access to Adelaide “chicks” in various states of undress and told victims “you cannot do anything to stop us”.

They were supported by a moderator of the site — which The Advertiser will not name — who said it was exempt from SA law because it is based in the US.

Women whose photos appear on the site say the images have been taken from private Facebook accounts or shared by former boyfriends as “revenge porn”.

One of those affected was Amy Cornes, the daughter of SA football legend Graham, who chose to fight back against the “pathetic people” who had invaded her privacy.

She re-uploaded one of the images — taken in a shower two years ago — to her Facebook page in a show of defiance.

On Thursday, The Advertiser revealed the original site had been shut down but the database had migrated to three others and expanded to include faked pornographic photos.

Follow @SeanFewster