In groundbreaking jury verdict, a victim of criminal online sexual content is awareded $1.2 BILLION
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LAILA MICKELWAIT Founder and CEO, Justice Defense Fund
In a groundbreaking verdict last week, a jury in Texas awarded $1.2 BILLION to a victim whose sexual images and videos were uploaded without consent to Pornhub and other websites.
Yes, you read that right– $1.2 BILLION.
The woman, identified as "Jane Doe," had dated a man named Jamal Jackson Marques for four years before their relationship ended in 2021. It was then that her nightmare began.
Jackson proceeded to terrorize Jane by uploading nude images and videos online. In some cases, he included Jane's name and home address in the titles and descriptions of the videos. Jackson also sent messages and emails containing links to the criminal content to Jane's friends, family, and coworkers.
Trial evidence showed that Jackson intended for Jane's pain to last "forever," as he wrote: "[Y]ou will spend the rest of your life trying and failing to wipe yourself off the internet... Happy Hunting."
On Pornhub, Jackson created an impersonation page and uploaded the criminal content where it was monetized for MindGeek’s profit and distributed for millions of users' pleasure.
Reflecting on Jackson's abuse, Jane toldABC 13, "This type of experience is devastating."
That devastation is something the jury clearly understood. After 30 minutes of deliberation, the jurors returned with the shocking verdict: Jane was awarded $1.2 billion for what she endured.
This landmark verdictagainst Jackson is significant for all victims of online sexual crime as it sets an important precedent. It also sends a strong message to future perpetrators and corporations who would seek to profit from abuse.
The enormous verdict also suggests that the lawsuits filed against Pornhub/MindGeek on behalf of hundreds of victims could bankrupt the Pornhub/MindGeekCriminal Enterprise.
Stay tuned, and stay hopeful. Justice for victims is on the horizon!
At theJustice Defense Fund, we are committed to empowering survivors of online sexual crime to pursue justice and hold corporate abusers accountable to the full extent of the law.
At the Justice Defense Fund (JDF), we empower survivors of sex trafficking, child sexual abuse material (previously known as “child pornography”) and criminal image-based sexual abuse to pursue justice through strategic litigation and advocacy support. We also lead public pressure campaigns and advocate for the adoption of laws and policies that prevent sexual abuse and provide recourse to victims.
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