- Half (52%) of college students say they have sent nudes.
- Almost 1 in 10 (9%) female college students say someone has sent or posted nude photos of them without their consent, compared to 5% of male students.
- Female students are more likely than male students to blame the person who leaked the pictures without the subject’s consent (84% vs. 75%).
Rep. Katie Hill’s (D-CA) resignation from Congress last month ignited a national conversation on revenge porn. The freshman congresswoman stepped down after she was accused of having inappropriate relationships with two staffers and intimate photos of her were published on conservative websites. (Hill has admitted to being in a relationship with a campaign staffer, but denied allegations involving a congressional staffer). With more than half (52%) of college students saying they have sent nude photos or videos to someone, combating revenge porn will only become more crucial.
A new survey of 1,500 undergraduates finds that almost 1 in 10 female students say someone has either sent or posted nude photos of them without their consent (9%) or threatened to send or post nude photos of them (10%). By comparison, just 5% of male students say someone has either threatened or posted nude photos of them. Male students are far more likely than female students to say they have distributed revenge porn, however (8% vs. 1%).
Almost 1 in 10 Male Students Say They Have Distributed Revenge Porn
Has anyone ever sent or posted nude photos or videos of you without your consent? Have you ever sent or posted nude photos or videos of someone else without their consent?
Sexual orientation can also play a role, and LGBTQ advocacy groups said Hill’s bisexuality factored into how the scandal was covered in the media. LGBTQ college students are more likely than straight students to say someone has either threatened to post (13% vs. 6%) or posted nude photos without their consent (12% vs. 5%).
Among students who have been victims of revenge porn (N=94), a former romantic partner is the most common person to have distributed the photos (35%). Fewer students say the person who shared their photos was a stranger (11%), a former friend (9%), a current friend (7%), or a current romantic partner (7%) when it happened.
When nude photos of someone are leaked without consent, a strong majority (80%) of students say the person who leaked the pictures without the subject’s consent is most to blame. However, 14% say both parties share responsibility equally and 5% say the person in the pictures is most to blame for taking the nudes in the first place.
Female students are significantly more likely than male students to blame the person who leaked the pictures (84% vs. 75%). LGBTQ students are also more likely than straight students to agree (91% vs. 76%).
There are stark divides across political lines, too. Almost 9 in 10 (86%) Democratic students say the person who leaked nude photos without consent is most to blame, compared to 58% of Republican students.
Republicans are Less Likely to Blame the Person Who Distributes Revenge Porn
When nude photos of someone are leaked without their consent, who is most to blame in your opinion?
Distributing sexually explicit images of someone without their consent is currently illegal in 46 states and Washington, D.C. Eight in 10 (81%) college Democrats strongly support federal legislation that would make it illegal to spread nude photos of someone without consent, compared to 58% of their Republican classmates.
When nude photos of a public figure are leaked without consent, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say it is more damaging to a woman’s career than a man’s career (77% vs. 45%). Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say gender makes no difference (45% vs. 21%).
A similar gap persists among male and female students. While more than three-quarters (77%) of female students say leaked nude photos are more damaging to a woman’s career, less than half (43%) of male students agree. By contrast, a plurality of male students (48%) say gender makes no difference, compared to just 22% of female students who say the same.
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted among a sample of 1,500 full-time and part-time students attending four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
