New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern sent X-rated private message
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has revealed a man sent her an unsolicited, lewd picture earlier in her political career.
Ms Ardern spoke on New Zealand radio station ZM, with Fletch, Vaughan & Megan, about a new law in the United States which is cracking down on unsolicited nude photos.
Then, the PM described her own personal experience, when an unknown male sent her a picture of his genitals, with a “very recognisable tattoo” clearly in the shot.
"I consider myself to live a pretty tame life, and someone while I've been a politician tweeted a pretty - lewd doesn't even capture what that photo [was],” she said.
One of the radio hosts interjects and asks her, “Has somebody slid into your DM’s with a naughty picture?”
Ardern admitted someone had sent her a photo, stating it was a while ago.
She said what surprised her most was the man who sent the photo had an identifiable tattoo, which was clearly seen in the picture.
“If you're gonna do something anonymously don't have any identifying body features," she said.
She then described the picture as “a massive fail”.
New law on sending unsolicited nude pictures
Last Friday, the state of Texas passed a bill which come September 1, will make sending a nude photo, without the recipient’s knowledge or consent, illegal.
“Many people—especially women—get unwanted sexually explicit pictures by text or social media,” Texas governor Greg Abbott Tweeted. “It’s disgusting. Now, it’s illegal in Texas.”
Many people—especially women—get unwanted sexually explicit pictures by text or social media.
It’s disgusting.
Now, it’s illegal in Texas. #txlege pic.twitter.com/Uga0QL4FbL— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 23, 2019
Texas is one of the first states to introduce such laws. According to the Texas Tribune, 40 per cent of women reportedly receive an intimate photo without consent.
Most young adults have been sent a nude image
Australian Institute of Family Studies reported 53 per cent of adults aged 18 to 30 years have sent a ‘sext’.
The same 2014 report found 57 per cent of adults aged 18 to 30 years have received an explicit image, consensual or otherwise.
Of course, if the person in a nude photo is under the age of 18, it can be considered child pornography.
Each state in Australia has varying laws on sexting. West Australia recently passed legislation making the distribution of an intimate photo of someone without their consent a criminal offence, and threatening to do so is now criminalised.
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