Men like Rob Kardashian are the reason revenge porn laws exist
ANALYSIS | He deliberately turned to social media to slut-shame Blac Chyna
On July 5, Rob Kardashian launched an Internet assault against his former fiancé, Blac Chyna. He alleged the model cheated on him with other men and posted screenshots of Chyna’s text messages and several explicit pics — including a photo of Chyna’s vagina on Instagram.
Sources close to Chyna confirmed the two are not romantically involved, but maintain a civil co-parenting relationship for the sake of their seven-month-old daughter, Dream.
The couple confirmed their split in February, but Kardashian claims he financed Chyna’s post-baby cosmetic surgery and continues to provide financial support.
After Instagram shut down his account, Kardashian retreated to Twitter to continue his rant and repost the graphic images. (These photos have since been removed by Twitter.)
Early media reports denounced his actions as reprehensible and illegal.
While legal experts speculate over Kardashian’s criminal liability, Chyna’s attorney released a public statement confirming he is “exploring all legal remedies and protections available.” In since-deleted Snapchat posts, Chyna alleged Kardashian has also physically abused her in the past.
Digital harassment can be a sign of more serious abuse happening at home. Victims of digital abuse and harassment are two times more likely to be physically abused and even more likely to be psychologically abused.
Kardashian deliberately turned to social media to slut-shame Chyna.
Slut-shaming tactics are used to humiliate and bring emotional harm to women. Whether it is spreading rumors of promiscuity or leaking explicit private photos, it all boils down to the desire to control a woman’s sexuality.
Kim Kardashian’s sex tape catapulted his family into stardom, so how could Rob Kardashian viciously degrade Chyna for her sexual habits, while ignoring his own family’s provocative sexual legacy?
Black women’s bodies have always been overpoliced. In the U.S., African women were viewed as innately oversexual and utilized for the sexual pleasure of slave masters and to bear additional children for slave labor. They were forced to wet-nurse white children. Their bodies were used for medical experimentation without consent. Some were exhibited in the circus or the human zoo.
Images of black women in popular media help perpetuate negative stereotypes. By depicting us as aggressive and hypersexual, American culture fosters an environment in which sexism combined with racism thrives.
This is what likely influenced Kardashian’s reckless decision to break the law and harm Chyna by detailing her sexual exploits, exposing her private phone number, circulating damaging rumors and leaking explicit photos.
His claims only echoed the tired gold digger and jezebel stereotypes black women have combated for decades. His blatant disregard for Chyna’s privacy was an open acknowledgement of contempt for her black female body.
Kardashian’s proclamation of financial support to the mother of his child does not denote ownership or justify his choice to publicly humiliate her. Chyna is under no obligation to live by his rules or explain her sex life to him — or anyone else.
This is a textbook example of revenge porn. Kardashian’s transgressions are detrimental and should not be dismissed as petty. He demonstrated a disturbing lack of self-awareness and a sense of entitlement by declaring he was “disrespected” first and history suggests he will repeat this behavior.
He’s the reason we need revenge porn laws.
