Porn revenge: Man convicted for posting intimate videos of ex online

HILLSBORO, OR (KTRK) -- A Oregon man is behind bars for posting sexual videos of his former girlfriend online. It's a landmark in cases about "porn revenge."

Benjamin Barber, 31, was convicted Thursday in a Washington County courtroom for posting intimate videos of himself and his ex-girlfriend onto adult websites.

The act of revenge porn only became illegal at the start of 2016, thanks in part to Sophia Adams.

Speaking to KATU, Adams said, "I think any woman can agree, it's about time, it's long overdue."

Three years ago, Adams was targeted by her ex-boyfriend.

Adams said, "When he decided to break up with me because he was cheating on me, then he exposed my pictures linked to my Facebook, put my address, my phone number."

But back in 2014, there was no law protecting her.

Adams said, "In a time that I do need it because my life is potentially in danger, they were just saying, 'Well, you shouldn't have made that mistake'."

Armed with frustration and nowhere to turn, Adams started a petition to make revenge porn a crime.

Adams said, "I mean that's private, why should you be allowed to take someone's private photos and expose them negatively."

Now, almost three years later, Adams got to see a woman, like her, get justice, and Benjamin Barber face a crime.

Adams said, "He's getting what he deserves...and this woman is now going to get justice."

Adams added, "I'm a big believer in when bad things happen to you that you find the good in them, and I think the good supersedes the bad by far in this."

This is the state's first prosecution and conviction under Oregon's Unlawful Dissemination of an Intimate Image statute.

Barber was sentenced to six months behind bars and five years of probation.