Body-Shaming Playboy Model Could Face Jail Time
According to her lawyer, ‘She never tried to hurt anyone.’
Playboy model Dani Mathers posted a photo of a woman changing in a gym locker room to Snapchat in July. The body-shaming message accompanying the photo enraged people everywhere and now she may be prosecuted.
LA police found the unnamed victim displayed in the image and she wants to press charges. According to TMZ, the 70-something woman is willing to testify.
Mathers could be charged with Dissemination of Private Images — a prosecution which carries a maximum sentence of six months.
Twenty-nine-year-old Mathers sparked outrage when she shared the photo of a naked elderly woman to her Snap Story, with the caption, “If I can’t unsee this then you can’t either.”
The 2015 Playmate of the Year quickly deleted the Snaps, but she wasn’t fast enough. Mathis found herself under major social media fire—even after sending a lengthy chain of Twitter apologies and a Snapchat video.
In the video, Mathis explained that the photo had been posted to her story by accident. She claimed that the message was intended for a single friend, but was added to her story by mistake.
Mathis describes the move as a “huge mistake,” but it’s unclear if she feels her error was in sharing the image publicly, or if she feels regret for snapping the photo entirely. Before deactivating her account, Mathis expressed her apologies via Twitter:
I want to acknowledge my post from Snapchat earlier. There is no excuse…I understand fully the magnitude of this post and that I have hurt
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
A lot of people, women. Body shaming is not okay, and is nothing to joke about… This was meant to be a part of a private conversation that
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
Never should have happened. There are no words to describe how deeply sorry I am for hurting and offending you all. Women make my world go
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
Around, I respect women, I surround myself with women and I completely understand the magnitude of this post. Please please please know
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
How upset I am with myself and take my word that this won’t happen again. I love and appreciate every one of you and know that everyone
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
Is beautiful in their own way… That’s what makes us all so special… I can’t undo this mistake, but I ask your forgiveness.
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
This mistake has truly made me realize that something that can seem silly in a private conversation isn’t unnecessary. All I’ve done here is
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
Spread negativity and hate when that isn’t who I am. I chose to model because I appreciate women and their bodies, so me of all people,
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
Should never make light of another woman’s naked body.
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
She ended her Twitter apology rant with:
I’m sorry for what I did… I need to take some time to myself now to reflect on why I did this horrible thing. Goodnight.
— Dani Mathers (@DaniMathers) July 14, 2016
Despite her efforts, Twitter was not accepting of her apology. Tweeters fired back at the model, commenting on the hurtfulness of her actions and the victim’s violation of privacy.
Mathers’ lawyer, Tom Mesereau, told The Wrap: “I hope the rumors are not true. Dani Mathers never tried to hurt anyone at any time and certainly never tried to break the law.”
