Woman Advocates for Intimate Partner Violence Awareness After Intimate Images Shared Without Consent

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Natalie Brown, a Halifax resident, has taken a courageous step to raise awareness about intimate partner violence after her ex-partner shared a non-consensual video of her online. The incident came to light when Brown stumbled upon the video on Fetlife, a site dedicated to fetish interests, while searching for a recipe. The video, recorded without her knowledge, showcased her in a vulnerable state and had been available publicly for four years.

Her former partner, Conor Dolan, faced charges of voyeurism and distribution of intimate images without consent. The voyeurism charge was ultimately dropped in exchange for a guilty plea regarding the distribution of the video. On January 6, 2025, Dolan received a four-month conditional sentence, equating to house arrest, alongside a criminal record.

Motivated by a recent uptick in intimate partner violence cases in Nova Scotia—six women have been killed by their partners in just three months—Brown sought to lift a publication ban to share her story. She expressed a desire to illuminate the stigma surrounding intimate partner violence and the challenges one faces in seeking justice.

Following her discovery of the video, Brown attempted to have it removed from Fetlife, initially receiving resistance due to it being deemed Dolan's property. Eventually, Nova Scotia's CyberSCAN unit intervened and successfully removed the video.

Brown's advocacy is aimed at dismantling the stigma associated with intimate partner violence and highlighting the complexities of navigating the legal system. She emphasizes that while the journey to justice can be long and arduous, it is a worthy pursuit for every individual affected.

Her story has gained validation in the legal sphere, as the judge addressing Dolan's case characterized it as a significant violation of privacy and intimate partner abuse.

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