An adult website posted doctored images of some prominent women in Italy, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her sister Arianna, sparking massive outrage in the country. The pictures were shared with sexist and objectionable captions. The pictures, shared with sexist and objectionable captions, were suspected to have been taken from social media or public sources before being morphed and uploaded on the Italian adult site Phica, which has over 700,000 subscribers.
The pictures of female politicians from across party lines were taken at rallies, during TV interviews, or when they were on holiday in bikinis. They were edited to zoom in on body parts or show them in suggestive sexual poses. These images were later uploaded to the “VIP section” of the website.
Members of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) have filed a legal complaint, and police are now looking into the case.
Doctored images of other well-known women were also uploaded to the site, including actor and filmmaker Paola Cortellesi, who directed the Italian box-office hit on domestic violence C’è Ancora Domani (There’s Still Tomorrow), and influencer Chiara Ferragni.
Valeria Campagna, a PD politician, who filed an official complaint, said on Facebook that she was “disgusted, angry and disappointed” and “couldn’t stay silent”.
“Not just photos in a swimsuit but moments from my public and private life,” she wrote, adding, “Beneath them there were sexist, vulgar and violent comments. I can’t stay silent because this story isn’t just about me. It’s about all of us. It’s about our right to be free, respected and to live without fear.”
