SC mayor is a ‘revenge porn’ victim, and she wants laws to stop it, attorney says

Not long after Tiffany Ownbey was elected mayor of Belton, SC, a video from her past, explicit and recorded without her permission, suddenly became public, her attorney says — and not entirely by surprise.

Ownbey’s encounter with a man several years ago had been discretely captured on cell phone by the man, her attorney says.

The man later told her of the video, promising that if she ever ended their relationship, he would share it, attorney Druanne White said in a statement on Ownbey’s behalf. Ownbey told the man she’d press charges if he did.

Years went by without any contact between the two, according to White. But in late June, Ownbey “began hearing rumors that the video might be released,” and she went to the Belton Police Department for help.

Ownbey, the first woman to ever hold the position of mayor in Belton, knew an investigation “would subject her to a great deal of adverse publicity,” White said. “She refused to tacitly condone the man’s repugnant behavior by remaining silent.”

At some point, the video was released and shared on social media. Now the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating the situation, at the request of Belton PD, outlets report.

There have been no arrests, and no suspects have been named, a SLED spokesperson told the Greenville News.

Ownbey had promised the man she would retaliate if he released the recording, saying she would defend herself, according to her attorney.

But now that it’s happened, now that the video is out in the world and law enforcement is on the case, Ownbey is questioning how much recourse she and other victims of “revenge porn” actually have in South Carolina.

Ownbey took to social media Thursday to speak out about the state’s lack of protections for victims of “revenge porn.”

“Several other states have extremely harsh penalties for things like this and it’s time South Carolina gets on board!” she said.

“If YOU have been a victim of or threatened with blackmail and “revenge porn,” don’t remain silent. You are not alone, it’s time S.C. steps up like other states and makes this a law with tough penalties!”

According to the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, a non-profit advocacy group combating online abuse, South Carolina is one of only four states that have no specific laws regarding revenge porn.

In most of the 46 states that do have revenge porn laws, it’s a misdemeanor to violate them. But in several, including North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas and others, felony charges are very much on the table.

“It is time for South Carolina to enact legislation to protect women from this kind of sexual predatory behavior,” White said. “Tiffany plans to lead the charge.”

This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 10:47 PM with the headline "SC mayor is a ‘revenge porn’ victim, and she wants laws to stop it, attorney says."