Sask. court awards $160K in first civil 'revenge porn' case
A Saskatchewan woman has been awarded $160,000 after she successfully sued a former partner for sharing intimate images of her online.
The woman’s name cannot be released due to a publication ban. However, her former partner Daylan Heidel already pleaded guilty to sharing images of the woman, and other women without their consent between January 2015 and July 2019.
He was sentenced to jail time on criminal charges.
Heidel distributed images and videos of the plaintiff on pornographic websites such as Pornhub, actions which the victim called in her claim "highly invasive, degrading and morally damaging."
In 2018, the Saskatchewan government changed the province's privacy act to allow victims of "revenge porn," the act of sharing intimate images without consent, to sue for compensation.
The legislation intended to allow victims to seek reimbursement through small claims court.
Her lawyer in the case, Sean Sinclair, said this was the first successful case of its kind in the province.
“This appears to be the first decision that involves the non-consensual distribution of intimate images or videos like this where a person has been successfully sued for distributing materials online in this manner,” he told CTV News.
“This tells people that there are significant repercussions to acting in this manner that you can, first of all, be incarcerated for it. But in addition to that, also be sued for it. And for quite a lot of money, potentially. It is a serious offence. It has lasting implications for the victim,” Sinclair said.
“I think it also has a message for victims that the court systems have a means of potentially addressing these kinds of issues and will give victims a voice to address these matters. And hopefully, allow them some measure of redress even if it doesn't fix all the issues for them.”
Sinclair said his client demonstrated resilience and courage by bringing her case forward.
“It's very hard to speak about and certainly to speak about publicly, in a court hearing is very challenging,” he said. “She's been quite remarkable in how she's approached this.”
-with files from Saron Fanel
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.