Lawmakers are looking to crack down on people sending unsolicited and obscene pictures of intimate areas to others online.
“It’s crazy. It’s very common. Very unfortunate,” said Savannah Williams of Bristol.
So-called "cyberflashing" is predominantly directed at women.
“It’s an uncomfortable situation that it puts people in and I think it’s definitely something no one should be put in,” said Isabelle Mondo of Marlborough.
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A Pew Research Center survey from 2017 found about half of women ages 18 to 29 say someone had sent them explicit images they did not ask for.
Overall, when it comes to online harassment, 35% of women say it was extremely or very upsetting.
“I think more people should know about it," Williams said. "I think it’s uncool when people give you those pictures and you don’t want them. It’s just kind of unnecessary. It’s annoying."
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On Thursday, Democratic Senators announced more of their priorities for this legislative session.
Among them would be Senate Bill 4.
“That bill will also give a right to civil action concerning cyberflashing which is an important initiative that a few other states have taken up. I’m glad that Connecticut is going to make that a priority effort this year,” said Sen. Mae Flexer of Killingly.
Under the proposal, people who receive the images could sue the sender for an automatic civil penalty of $500 plus legal fees.
Those we talked with say it’s a good step.
“I think I’m really in support of (the bill)," Mondo said. "I know it’s very common and it shouldn’t be. And I think it will help stop that from happening as much as it does."
This idea is similar to laws passed recently in California and Virginia.
