published on in blog

Mischa Barton Plans to Take Legal Action in Response to Revenge Porn Sex Tape

Mischa Barton is allegedly the victim of “revenge pornography,” and she’s fighting back.

Reports surfaced earlier this week that a sex tape involving Barton was being shopped around to porn outlets. On Wednesday, Barton responded to those reports with the help of attorney Lisa Bloom during a press conference, saying that they plan legal action against the alleged tape peddler.

In a statement at the press conference, the former “O.C.” actress said, “I’ve been put through an incredibly hard and trying time. This is a painful situation, and my absolute worst fear was realized when I learned that someone I thought I loved and trusted was filming my most intimate and private moments, without my consent with hidden cameras. Then I learned something even worse: that someone is trying to sell these videos and make them public. I came forward to fight this not only for myself but for all the women out there.”misc

Related Stories

concert crowd and stock arrow VIP+

New Live Music Data Suggests Cautious Optimism

Anna Sawai in "Pachinko."

Anna Sawai on Her 'Surreal' Emmy Win for 'Shogun,' Playing Heartbreak on 'Pachinko' — and Whether She'd Ever Sing On Screen

Popular on Variety

“I want to protect them from the pain and humiliation I’ve had to go through,” she went on. “No woman should have to go through this. It is a very hard thing to do but I am glad that I am finally standing up for myself.”

While she did not reveal the name of the person allegedly shopping the sexually explicit images, Bloom said that Barton has been granted an immediate domestic violence restraining order against the person. Bloom clarified that, because Barton previously dated this person, that they consider it to be “a form of domestic abuse.”

“Because Miss Barton has dated him, we contended that she was protected under California’s laws against domestic violence which prohibit all forms of abuse by a former intimate partner,” said Bloom. “In short, we consider this to be a form of domestic abuse. The court agreed and gave us everything that we asked for, including the order to stay away from Miss Barton and to not contact her.”

Ahead of Wednesday’s press conference, Bloom also released a statement on Tuesday in response to reports about the sex tape. In it, the lawyer vowed to “come after” anyone who tried to sell the images.

Bloom reiterated this on Wednesday, adding that “the court ordered that this individual and his agents ‘may not sell, distribute, give away or show any naked pictures of videos of any type of Mischa Barton.’ ” She noted that anyone who attempts to traffic the sex tape is subject to legal action.

In the previous statement, Bloom said, “It has been reported that naked or sexually explicit images of Ms. Barton are being ‘shopped around.’ Ms. Barton does not consent to any disclosure of any such images. She believes that she was recorded without her consent by someone she was seeing at the time. There’s a name for this disgusting conduct: Revenge pornography. Revenge pornography is a form of sexual assault, and it is also a crime and a civil wrong in California. And we will not stand for it.”

Barton has also filed a police report, and Bloom said that cease-and-desist letters have been sent to everyone who is believed to be connected in buying or selling the explicit images.

POPULAR VARIETY VIDEO:

Read More About:

Jump to Comments

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXKDjpugs2eemsS0e8yiqpygkWKvor7TqKVmqpWrsq%2BzxGanqKqeYsCmxIytmKmdXaGyqK3LZpicrJmku259kWlpaWhpa353ew%3D%3D