Outrage in Italy Over Altered Photos of Prominent Women

ROME, Italy — A pornographic website’s posting of doctored images of high-profile Italian women, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and opposition leader Elly Schlein, has triggered widespread outrage across the nation. The images had been altered to include vulgar captions and sexualized edits, sparking a renewed conversation about misogyny and online sexism.

The website, Phica, which has over 700,000 subscribers, published images taken from personal social media accounts or public sources. These included photographs of women politicians at rallies, television interviews, and on holiday in bikinis, with alterations that zoomed in on body parts or suggested sexual poses. These images were available in the site’s “VIP section.”

This scandal comes on the heels of Meta shutting down an Italian Facebook account named Mia Moglie (My Wife) that shared intimate photos of women without consent. Phica, which is a misspelled slang term for vagina in Italian, launched in 2005 and operated without significant intervention until recently when several members of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) filed legal complaints. The police are now investigating the site.

Meloni, whose sister Arianna was also targeted, did not comment when approached by reporters on Wednesday, according to various news outlets. Other prominent women whose images were misused include actress and director Paola Cortellesi, known for her film on domestic violence, C’è Ancora Domani, and influencer Chiara Ferragni.

Valeria Campagna, a PD politician, was among the first to file a complaint and expressed her anger and disappointment over the publication of her photos on Facebook. “Not just photos in a swimsuit but moments from my public and private life,” she wrote. “Beneath them were sexist, vulgar and violent comments. I can’t stay silent because this story isn’t just about me. It’s about all of us. It’s about our right to be free, respected and to live without fear.”

Other PD figures, including Alessia Morani and Lia Quartapelle, condemned the actions as “unacceptable and obscene.” Quartapelle stated, “Like many other women, I was a victim of online abuse through unauthorized posting on a porn forum.”

Politicians from the right, such as Alessandra Mussolini and Daniela Santanchè, were also among those targeted. Mary Galati, a petition promoter from Palermo, previously filed complaints about the site but it drew little attention until the recent outcry from politicians. The petition to shut down Phica has gathered over 150,000 signatures.

The petition cites a 2019 University of Milan study indicating that 20% of Italian women had experienced non-consensual sharing of intimate photos. In July, the Italian Senate approved a bill legally defining femicide and increasing penalties for stalking, sexual violence, and revenge porn.

In response to the scandal, Ignazio La Russa, president of the Senate, condemned the online sexism targeting numerous women and called it a serious matter requiring urgent action.