The U.S. Marine Corps is investigating a veteran’s allegations that military personnel and other veterans distributed nude photos of female colleagues and other women as part of a social media network that promotes sexual violence.
Hundreds of Marines may be caught up in the scandal, the Marine Corps Times reported Sunday.
The revelation was first uncovered by a decorated combat veteran’s non-profit news site and reported Saturday by the Center for Investigative Reporting.
Maj. Clark Carpenter, a Marine Corps spokesman, confirmed that an investigation is underway, Marine Corps Times reported, but he said military officials were uncertain exactly how many personnel were involved.
Nude photos were allegedly shared online via a Facebook group titled Marines United, which has nearly 30,000 members, mostly active-duty U.S. Marines, Marine Corps veterans and British Royal Marines.
An online link to the the photos, as well as the names and units of the women pictured, was posted in January by a former Marine who was working for a defense contractor, The Washington Post reported Sunday. The contractor has since been relieved of his duties.
Marine Lance Cpl. Marisa Woytek told The Post that photos were taken from her Instagram account and posted to Marines United multiple times in the past six months, without her consent. “Even if I could, I’m never re-enlisting,” Woytek said. “Being sexually harassed online ruined the Marine Corps for me, and the experience.”
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SOURCE: USA Today, Greg Toppo
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