Survivor Stories

Katelynn Spencer 

Katelynn Spencer is a survivor-leader in the fight against image-based sexual abuse. Her personal fight for justice began upon finding out that a friend, who groomed her into making a sex video with him, uploaded it and another one she was unaware that he had recorded, onto Pornhub, a global pornography platform, without her consent. The videos had been downloaded, favorited, and commented on – all without her knowledge. One charge was eventually filed against her friend – “Distribution of Obscene Material” – but the case was dismissed, in part because Massachusetts has no law against uploading non-consensual, pornographic material. (Massachusetts is one of only two states that have yet to enact laws against image-based sexual abuse.) Ms. Spencer is a sought-after speaker on issues of sexual exploitation, having recently testified at a June 2022 Congressional briefing in Washington, DC, about solutions that are needed to curb online sexual abuse and exploitation. She aims to use her voice and personal experience to ensure others who have endured similar abuse can seek justice.