Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni Lashes Out At Porn Site For Sharing Altered Photos Of Her, Other Women: 'Disgusted'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the sharing of altered photos of her, other women on a pornographic website, which she called out, saying she felt“disgusted” and was“disheartening” to witness this as those who“trample on a woman's dignity hide behind anonymity or a keyboard”.

Meloni said,“I am disgusted by what has happened. I want to extend my solidarity and support to all the women who have been offended, insulted and violated. It is disheartening to note that in 2025, there are still those who consider it normal and legitimate to trample on a woman's dignity and target her with sexist and vulgar insults, hiding behind anonymity or a keyboard."

Meloni called for quick justice, cautioning that even general online content could be weaponised, saying,“Content that is considered harmless can, in the wrong hands, become a terrible weapon. And we must all be aware of this."

What exactly happened?

The website, Phica, which allegedly had over 700,000 subscribers, displayed edited and cropped images of Meloni, her sister Arianna, and opposition leader Elly Schlein, along with crude captions. The images, sourced without permission from social media and public platforms, were altered to portray the women in a sexualised manner. Following the scandal that emerged this week, the operators of Phica took the site down, stating that users had misused the platform, reports said.

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A probe was initiated by police after they got official complaints from numerous women, comprising members of the centre-left Democratic Party. Doctored images of high-profile women displayed in the site's“VIP section".

The case has led numerous women to lodge complaints against Phica and other similar platforms. This follows Meta's recent shutdown of an Italian Facebook group called Mia Moglie ("My Wife"), where men shared private photos of women without their consent.

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A Democratic Party (PD) politician, Valeria Campagna, who lodged an official complaint, took to Facebook and said she was“disgusted, angry and disappointed” and“couldn't stay silent”.

“Not just photos in a swimsuit but moments from my public and private life. Beneath them there 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," she mentioned.

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