Washburn University March 1, 2017
Volume 143, Issue 20
News
Features
Sports
TPD investigates photo-leaking site
washburnreview.org
New Content Online Daily
“UnSlut” drives home equality Ryan Thompson
WASHBURN REVIEW
Graphic by Cody Dannar
Mark Feuerborn
WASHBURN REVIEW
The Topeka Police Department’s Special Victims Unit began an investigation into a website found leaking nude photos of students from multiple universities and high schools, including Washburn University. The website, first discussed in the Washburn Review’s article “Website leaks private student photos,” is an image-board based off of 4chan.org and seemingly dedicated to posting nude photos. The website operates with a regimented system, complete with 50 channels representing each of the United States, wherein anonymous users post in threads based on city, area code, college, high school or targeting specific women. The website was previously found hosting photos of students from Washburn University, Kansas University and Washburn Rural High School. The Topeka Police Department’s Sergeant Jacob Nelson,
who works in the Special Victims Unit, discussed the website and the status of their investigation. So far, the TPD has determined that the website is being hosted on a proxy server. “Essentially a proxy server is a third party that the data travels through,” Nelson said. “This can be used to try to hide where the server is or who is accessing the information. Sometimes it is traceable, sometimes not.” Nelson also noted that the department’s investigation has suggested that behind the proxy server, the website is being hosted somewhere in Russia. Unfortuantely, this means that the website is hosted in a location outside the state’s jurisdiction. “For the Topeka Police Department, we do not have jurisdiction to prosecute anything that occurs in Russia, or anything outside of Topeka for that matter,” Nelson said. “However we forward our cases and intel to our federal partners such as
the FBI and they make a determination as to whether or not the case would be feasible to prosecute.” Kansas is currently one of only 27 states to have laws against revenge porn, defined as uploading private photos of an individual online without their consent. Zoey Brandt, a junior education major, commented on the growing need for laws surrounding photo leaks. “This is something that needs to be taken into account when they are passing new laws, especially considering how technology driven our society is and how easy it is to share photos and capture those photos without the senders consent,” Brandt said. “It’s also extremely difficult because in a lot of these cases there are young people being involved and they may not understand the full extent of their actions or have been properly educated on how this can all WEBSITE: continued on page 4
A screening of “UnSlut: A Documentary Film” will play tonight at 5 p.m. in Mabee Library Room 206B followed by an open discussion. “UnSlut” explores the harmful effects of sexual shaming and promotes immediate and long-terms solutions on both personal and institutional levels. The screening is free and open to the public and free pizza will be offered to the first 40 in attendance. This event was organized by Sharon Sullivan, professor of theatre and gender studies, and Shelley Bearman, project coordinator for sexual assault education and prevention. “I’m hoping that we can have a great conversation about slut-shaming and how it impacts real people,” Sullivan said. One concern is the gendered nature of sexual shaming, as men are rarely judged as harshly for similar behavior. “It impacts our culture when we say that certain behaviors are okay for men, but not for women and vice-versa,” Sullivan said. “It undermines our equality and sense of humanity.” Sullivan also brings up how disturbingly common it is for victims of sexual assault to experience sexual shaming. This also plays into the issue of victim blaming, as these individuals are being attacked for experiencing a trauma beyond their control. Bearman points out how the word “slut” is often used as a means of bullying without any regard for what the word supposedly means. “It really has nothing to do with their sexual activity,”
Bearman said. “A lot of times it’s just meant to harm women.” Sullivan believes initiating conversations about sexual shaming is vital to creating a culture of consent, as problems can only be solved when they are addressed. “It’s something that most of us don’t even think about,” Sullivan said. “We just use the language we’re used to hearing without critically analyzing it.” The award-winning documentary follows several women who have had devesting experiences with labeling and sexual shaming. This documentary is part of the larger UnSlut Project, founded by Emily Lindin. The project also includes a book, a blog, a column by Lindin in “Teen Vogue” and a website providing resources to victims of bullying, www.unslutproject. com. The event will be followed by a discussion where attendees are encouraged to ask questions and voice concerns. “I hope people will feel free to speak their mind and really be willing to struggle with the language and the way we use it,” Sullivan said. “I think some people will be surprised at the impact their words have on others.” Sullivan and Bearman hope people will leave the event thinking about language and how it is used, as they see it as a reflection of society. “I think that we don’t always give enough credit to the power of language to shape our world, to shape our reality and the way we understand ourselves,” Sullivan said. Ryan Thompson, john.thompson2@washburn.edu, is a senior English major.
Stop, aShop, and Dine! March 2nd y
d h t r i B s ' s s e u Dr.S
11:00-1:30
Main level of the Memorial Union Enjoy food, fun, and great deals!