Outrage Erupts in Italy as Pornographic Site Exploits High-Profile Women

A pornographic website has ignited a firestorm in Italy after posting doctored photos of several prominent Italian women, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and opposition leader Elly Schlein. The images, which were either stolen from personal social media accounts or public sources, were manipulated and shared on the Italian platform Phica, notorious for its 700,000 subscribers. Alongside vulgar and sexist captions, these photos often depicted female politicians during public engagements or in swimwear during vacations, altered to emphasize specific body parts or suggest sexual poses. This scandal has brought the issue of longstanding misogyny and gender-based violence in Italy back to the forefront, coinciding with the recent closure of a Facebook account known as Mia Moglie (My Wife), where men exchanged intimate photographs of their spouses and other women without consent. Launched in 2005, Phica, which is a misspelled play on a slang term for vagina in Italian, seemingly operated freely until members of the center-left Democratic Party (PD) filed legal complaints against it. As investigations by the police are underway, the outcry continues to grow. Among the targeted women, Meloni’s sister Arianna was also victimized, yet Giorgia Meloni remained silent when approached by reporters. Other high-profile individuals whose images were exploited included Paola Cortellesi, an actor and director known for her film addressing domestic violence, and influencer Chiara Ferragni. Valeria Campagna, a PD politician, was among the first to officially complain, triggering a wave of responses from others who echoed her sentiment. Describing her feelings of disgust, anger, and disappointment, Campagna stated, "I couldn't stay silent after discovering that my photos were published on the site without my consent. Not just photos in a swimsuit, but moments from my public and private life. Beneath them, there were sexist vulgar and violent comments. This story isn't just about me; it’s about all of us. It’s about our right to be free, respected, and to live without fear." Fellow PD politicians Alessia Morani, Alessandra Moretti, and Lia Quartapelle also took to social media to express their outrage, with Morani labeling the comments on her photos as "unacceptable and obscene" and asserting the necessity to report such groups of men. Quartapelle shared her determination to fight back, declaring that her complaint was not only for herself but for all women affected by this type of violence. This incident also reached individuals on the right, such as Alessandra Mussolini, the daughter of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, and Daniela Santanchè, Italy's tourism minister. Mary Galati, a campaigner from Palermo, had previously filed complaints about the site but felt that her concerns were ignored until the recent political backlash brought attention to the issue. The petition that has emerged in response to the scandal has already garnered over 150,000 signatures. It references a 2019 study from the University of Milan which revealed that 20% of Italian women have suffered from the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images. Moreover, in July, the Italian Senate approved a groundbreaking bill that provided a legal definition of femicide and imposed severe penalties for crimes such as stalking, sexual violence, and revenge porn, marking an important step in combating gender-based violence. In light of the Phica scandal, Ignazio La Russa, the Senate President, condemned the pervasive online sexism that affects numerous women and described the problem as "a very serious matter" that he hopes will soon see responsible parties brought to justice. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2