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Mischa Barton is fighting back.
After reports surfaced this week that an alleged sex tape was being shopped around to pornography companies, Barton retained attorney Lisa Bloom, who issued a statement on behalf of the actress on Tuesday, announcing that they plan on prosecuting the alleged “revenge pornography” peddler under “every available civil and criminal law.”
On Wednesday, Barton and Bloom held a press conference in Los Angeles, where Barton, 31, issued a statement.
“I just want to say that I’ve been put through an incredibly hard and trying time,” she said. “This is a painful situation, and my absolute worst fear was realized when I learned that someone I thought I loved and trusted was filming my most intimate and private moments, without my consent, with hidden cameras. Then I learned something even worse: that someone is trying to sell these vides and make them public. I came forward to fight this not only for myself but for all the women out there.”
“I want to protect them from the pain and humiliation I’ve had to go through. No woman should have to go through this,” she continued. “It is a very hard thing to do but I am glad that I am finally standing up for myself.”
According to Bloom, Barton has been granted an immediate domestic violence restraining order against the individual she believes is responsible for attempting to distribute the illegally obtained and sexually explicit images.
“Because Miss Barton has dated him, we contended that she was protected under California’s laws against domestic violence which prohibit all forms of abuse by a former intimate partner,” said Bloom. “In short, we consider this to be a form of domestic abuse. The court agreed and gave us everything that we asked for, including the order to stay away from Miss Barton and to not contact her.”
“Most importantly, the court ordered that this individual and his agents ‘may not sell, distribute, give away or show any naked pictures of videos of any type of Mischa Barton,’ ” said Bloom, noting that anyone who attempts to traffic the illegally obtained images is considered an agent, and agents are covered by the court order. Any violators of the order can go to jail or prison.
Barton has also filed a police report and plans on fully cooperating with law enforcement, and cease and desist letters have been sent to all those reported to have been connected with attempts to sell or purchase the illegal images.
“Miss Barton and I stand for a woman’s right to choose what images of her own body will be made public,” said Bloom. “You have no right to exploit her or any woman for revenge or financial gain. You have been warned, you proceed at your peril.”
Barton did not take any questions. While she would not name the individual they believe is responsible or confirm whether he is a celebrity, Bloom did reveal the alleged perpetrator and Barton were “in a brief relationship” that has since ended.
While Bloom said they have not seen the images, she stated Barton believes they were taken sometime in the last year.
When asked about allegations that Barton was looking directly at the camera at times, Bloom maintained that Barton “does not know exactly how the recordings were made, whether there was a hidden camera, which is very common and easy to do, or whether it was a phone camera.”
“I don’t think looking in any particular direction is an indication of knowing that one is being recorded,” she said. “We would strenuously object to any conclusion being drawn from some direction that she may have been looking at any particular time.”
This article originally appeared on PEOPLE.com.
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