Images of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other female politicians from various parties taken during rallies, TV interviews, on holiday in bikinis, were manipulated to zoom in on body parts or imply sexualized poses featured on Phica's 'VIP section'.
Phica (a deliberately misspelled play on an Italian slang for vagina) is the site that featured doctored photos of the PM along with other personalities such as the opposition leader Elly Schlein and famous personalities like Chiara Ferragni and Paola Cortellesi along with vulgar captions.
What is Phica
Launched in 2005, the site appeared to operate without interference until several centre-left Democratic Party (PD) politicians filed a legal complaint. It featured several manipulated images and videos of female public figures. It also featured photos of ordinary women, categorized by geographical location.
The administrators of the website took it offline after facing widespread condemnation and multiple legal complaints. According to Reuters, the site had 200,000 registered members. In a message, they said they were shutting down the forum 'with great regret,' citing 'toxic behaviours' that had 'damaged the original spirit' of the platform.
The scandal follows just a week after Meta shut down an Italian Facebook page called Mia Moglie (My Wife), where men were sharing intimate photos of their wives or unidentified women.
What did Giorgia Meloni say
"I am disgusted by what has happened, and I want to express my solidarity and closeness to all the women who have been offended, insulted, and violated in their intimacy by the administrators of this forum and its 'users,'" Meloni was quoted as saying by daily Corriere della Sera.
Italy's #MeToo: PD politicians file complaints
Valeria Campagna was among the first to file an official complaint, prompting others to come forward in what the Italian press is calling 'Italy's #MeToo.' An online petition demanding the site's closure has since gathered over 150,000 signatures.
Taking to Facebook, Camooagna wrote, "It's not easy to write this post. I discovered that some of my photos were posted on an online forum without my consent. Not just costume images, but moments of my public and private life." "Below, sexist, vulgar, violent comments. Some even talk about me live," she added.
Valeria Campagna was among the first to file an official complaint, prompting others to come forward in what the Italian press is calling 'Italy's #MeToo' | Credit: X/Lunanotizie
"Today I'm disgusted, angry, and disappointed. But I can't keep quiet. Because this story isn't just about me. It concerns all of us. It's about our right to be free, to be respected, to live without fear," the fuming politician concluded.
The Italian government has reportedly initiated an investigation into the website.
To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.