Italian Prime Minister Meloni Demands Justice Following Exploitative Photo Scandal

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her outrage over the exploitation of women in a recent scandal involving the distribution of unauthorized photos on a pornographic website. Meloni condemned the actions and called for swift identification and punishment of those responsible. This incident also involved images of prominent women, including Meloni's sister and opposition leader Elly Schlein, which were taken without consent and altered to depict them in derogatory ways. The website, known as Phica, had garnered over 700,000 subscribers before it was shut down following public outrage. Its managers blamed the closure on users who misused the platform, which had been operating since 2005 despite previous complaints from women. Meloni expressed her solidarity with all victimized women, stating, "I am disgusted by what has happened. I want to extend my support to all the women who have been offended, insulted, and violated." She lamented the persistence of such degrading attitudes towards women in 2025, highlighting the need for societal change regarding the treatment of women's dignity. In addition to the online outrage, the scandal has prompted dozens of women to come forward to file complaints against Phica and similar platforms. Police have initiated an investigation in response to official complaints from political figures, particularly within the centre-left Democratic Party. The issue has resonated deeply as Meloni emphasized the importance of recognizing how private content can become harmful in the wrong hands. "Content that is considered harmless can, in the wrong hands, become a terrible weapon. We must all be aware of this," she stated. This incident follows actions taken by Meta, which recently shut down an Italian Facebook account named 'Mia Moglie' ('My Wife'), where men exchanged intimate images of their wives and unknown women. A 2019 study conducted by the University of Milan revealed that 20% of Italian women have faced some form of non-consensual sharing of intimate photos, underlining the prevalence of such violations. Meloni's firm stance against this disturbing trend is a significant call to action for greater accountability and respect for women's rights in the digital age. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2