CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses image based abuse.
Stephen Bear — who gained reality TV stardom through UK’s Ex on the Beach and Celebrity Big Brother — has been ordered to pay $400k in damages after he shared non-consensual revenge porn of his ex Georgia Harrison on OnlyFans. Fucking GOOD.
In March, Bear copped a 21-month prison sentence after he was found guilty of voyeurism and guilty of two counts of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress in December, per the Mirror UK.
The Celebrity Big Brother alumn has now been ordered to pay his ex £207,000 (AUD$396,000) in damages after she won her civil case against the 33-year-old at the High Court in London. According to the publication, this is the highest sum to be awarded in an image abuse case.
“I couldn’t be more thankful to everyone who has helped support my civil claim, which after almost three years has finally been settled,” Harrison said after winning her civil claims case against Bear.
News.com.au reported that Bear was also ordered an injunction that would prevent him from using the footage, and he was also placed on a sex offenders register for 10 years. The reality TV star was also slapped with a five-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting his ex.
Prior to winning the civil case, Harrison said that the whole ordeal was her “worst nightmare” and that she was left feeling “violated and used”.
Harrison consented to sex with Bear. However, she did not consent to being filmed or having the tape being shared online.
In an interview with The Sun, the Love Island UK star said that she “nearly died” due to the Bear’s actions.
“When it first happened, the physical effects on me were just horrific. I had acne come up all over my face. I ended up getting a cyst infection — the cyst eventually burst — and I was in hospital from stress,” she told the publication.
“They said my kidneys, my pelvis, and multiple organs were infected, and I was going into septic shock.”
Harrison also said that Bear made her feel “completely and utterly exploited like he had hung me up naked on a wall for millions of people to see, and there was nothing I could do about it”.
Harrison said she would be donating a bit of the money to a number of charities who have supported her through her court battle with Bear.
“Once I officially receive the settlement sum, I will be donating part of it to multiple charities that have helped support me and other victims of image-based sexual abuse,” Harrison said, per Mirror UK.
Image Source: Getty Images / Eamonn M. McCormack
Recording, sharing, or threatening to share an intimate image without consent is a criminal offence across much of Australia. If you’d like to report image based abuse to police or get help removing an intimate image from social media, reach out to the Australian eSafety Commissioner here.
- If you’d like to speak to someone about image based abuse, please call the 1800
- Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
- Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
