NEWS Jacqui has filed a police report against Ryan for posting ‘revenge porn’. Does the claim have legs?
BY: Kartya Vucetic
Two weeks ago, our spidey senses detected that there was a social media war incoming between MAFS couple Jacqui and Ryan. And, just like clockwork, that’s exactly what’s happening as we speak.
Let’s take it back a few steps before we get into it.
Since Season 12 started airing, the outspoken bride has been communicating extensively with fans through her business Instagram account, @jacquelineleejewellery. From calling out Channel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia, to detailing her experiences in the experiment with Ryan. Jacqui’s by no means shied away from the camera. Thanks to text receipts, BTS photos taken without production’s knowledge, and more, Jacqui’s become a breakout character both on and off the show.
Frankly, it’s almost impossible to keep up with her play by play story updates. Nevertheless, a large takeaway that followers have grasped from her account is the type of relationship she had with Ryan. Words such as “verbally abusive” and “toxic environment” have floated around more than once, and to say that he’s been painted in a negative light would be an understatement.
In response to Jacqui’s claims…
Ryan’s since launched his own personal Instagram account. And when he’s not posting gym thirst trap videos of himself (gross), he’s publishing letters and text screenshots between him and Jacqui. Initially, the posting was centred around showing how much Jacqui was into Ryan at the time of filming. Texts like, “I miss you” and “I want us to keep dating after the show” were published in an attempt to disprove the claims being made by Jacqui.
Here’s Ryan mapping out the days he’s going to have sex this month | Image: Channel 9
Originally, we were confused. The texts didn’t necessarily disprove anything that Jacqui was saying. After all, she wouldn’t be the first person in the world to experience both love and verbal abuse at the same time. These two things can, and do, co-exist, and it’s important to remember that.
But here’s where it gets weird…
Ryan then started publishing texts from Jacqui that describe in OTT detail comments about their sex life. It seemed high key hypocritical, given how serious he’s been on-screen about keeping those things ‘private’. More importantly, however, I think I speak for everyone when I said it was really fucking uncomfortable to read.
We won’t be sharing the screenshots, so here’s another photo of him (at the gym, again)
Since then, the lawyer in Jacqui has snapped into action. Posting on her story yesterday, she told her followers that in response to these specific posts, she has filed a police report against Ryan for publishing ‘revenge porn’.
A screenshot from Jacqui’s expired story
Now, many people have quickly come out to question whether she has a legitimate claim to the criminal offence…
After all, Ryan hasn’t posted intimate photos of her personally. And it’s understandable as to why people feel confused. Because when we think of ‘revenge porn’, our mind immediately turns to ‘graphic images’.
But after a little bit of my own ex-lawyer research, I’ve reached the conclusion that Jacqui’s claims may well have legs. Under Division 15C Section 91N of the Crimes Act NSW (1900), “intimate image” can be “an image of a person engaged in a private act, in circumstances in which a reasonable person would reasonably expect to be afforded privacy”.
In other words, an “intimate image” distributed as an act of revenge porn doesn’t necessarily have to be a graphic one. Firstly, a screenshot of texts sent to one another would constitute an “image”. Secondly, there’s no reason why a “private act” couldn’t technically include private, sexual messages between one another. And while it might be a stretch, text screenshots of a clearly intimate moment the two shared very well could be regarded as falling within this definition.
Another screenshot of Jacqui’s story from today on Instagram
Josh Fox from MAFSFunny reached out to Tasmanian Police to see whether they wished to comment on the matter, and they have refused to do so. So until an official investigation is launched, we won’t really know whether Jacqui will be successful in the claim. In the meantime, all we can do is sit back, try to relax, and definitely avert our eyes from Ryan’s Instagram account.
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