…a reluctant blogger and tweeter.
…a parent to two children…lovable, amazing, intelligent, apple-of-my-eyes children who sometimes make mommy want to drink herself to sleep.
…a parent to a rescued pit bull. She reminds me how dangerous stereotypes really are.
…a teacher of college composition.
…a proud bearer of an MFA in CNF. Yo.
…the Victim Services Director for the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative.
Specifically:
Annmarie Chiarini is a professor of English at a Maryland community college and the Victim Services Director for the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI). She holds a master of science in professional writing from Towson University and a master of fine arts in creative non-fiction from Goucher College. Her writing has appeared in the Huffington Post and The Guardian. Annmarie is writing a memoir about extracting herself from a dehumanizing relationship only to become the victim of an on-going and vicious new form of crime – non-consensual pornography. Her efforts to bring her harasser to justice were unsuccessful due to lack of legislation in the state of Maryland, where she resides. As a result Annmarie became determined to fight for new legislation that protects victims of online harassment and stalking. In February 2012, she testified before the Judiciary Committee of the Maryland General Assembly in support of Senate Bills (SB) 107 and 175. SB 175 was passed into law in April 2012; it amended the current online harassment legislation, providing victims with stronger prosecuting ability. In 2014 Annmarie testified before the house committee and fought for legislation to make non-consensual pornography a crime. The law went into effect in October 2014. Non-consensual pornography is now a crime in Maryland. Annmarie is waiting to hear whether her lobbying efforts and testimony will result in Washington DC criminalizing non-consensual pornography.
Mafia Don
/ January 19, 2014Good for you! Shows how perseverance and follow-through can make a difference. I’m proud of you. One of your biggest fans.
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Zach
/ March 6, 2014I want to say I recently heard about you and your struggle through an NPR story. I’m also writing this on a phone, so as an English comp professor please don’t judge my grammar in this comment to harshly. I wanted to say, thank you for having the courage to bring this issue into the public eye. The whole act of revenge porn is to humiliate the non-consenting party. You turned this incredibly vulnerable moment into a moment of strength. I am a man. I do like porn. However, I think like all sexual acts it too must be consensual. From creation to its possible distribution. If it weren’t for you I may have never heard of this crime. In this growing age of technology and expanded communication I think we all owe you a thanks. Thank you…
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Fred Ascher
/ April 2, 2016You’re an amazing, brave, wonderful, strong woman! Thank God you didn’t let the creep take you from your mother and kids.
I’m so proud of you!
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Fred Ascher
/ April 2, 2016I don’t think my original comments posted.
I want you to know how brave, bold, strong, wonderful you are. Thank God that creep didn’t lead you to suicide.
You’re amazing, and I am so proud of you.
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Curt
/ April 7, 2016I just watched the episode of your horrendous story on the show “The Internet Ruined My Life” on the Syfy Channel. I am so sorry that this happened to you! I think you are incredibly brave and I want to thank you for all the work you have done to make people aware of revenge porn and your amazing efforts to stop it. Thank you!
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Mox
/ June 8, 2016Professor,
I just watched your story on SyFy. It moved me, to say the least. You unfortunately had to be at the forefront of making new laws that affect cyber threats and bullying. I am so proud that you took a stand, stopped being ashamed, paving the way for future victims of cyber pornographic blackmail/revenge. You should feel empowered and proud at the items to which you have brought attention (note that I’m not ending this sentence with a preposition). 🙂 Feel free to contact me anytime, for any reason.
All my support,
Mox. S.
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Woodrow Burnett
/ October 4, 2016I am proud of you Annmarie!Somehow you found the strength to fight back after hitting rock bottom!You are an inspiration to anyone that has become a victim to the web and social media!
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Dd
/ April 24, 2017Agree with the others. You’re amazing for helping change the law.
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Peter Benham
/ October 26, 2017Bravo. Your strength and honesty are, I am sure, helping many others.
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HM
/ January 3, 2019You are a strong, incredible person and you have my upmost respect.
You have saved many more than just yourself against cowardly evil.
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Charlotte Moriarty
/ October 21, 2019I am the mother of 2 girls and 1 boy. Society seems to feel that it is far more important for me to teach my daughters how to avoid being victims of sexual crimes than to teach my son not to be a perpetrator.
We need to change this attitude and educate our sons, not just teach our daughters that if they are the victim of any sort of sexual crime it is because they did something to deserve it.
You are inspirational and I will use your story to teach both my son and my daughters about respect, dignity and bravery.
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