Hidden Horror: How Ethiopia’s Digital Underground Revenge Poርn Industry Preys on Young Women
A six-month-long investigation by Shega has uncovered over a dozen Telegram channels profiting from leaked images and videos of Ethiopian women.
November 29, 2024
Kaleab Girma
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Thousands of women are caught in the dark, shadowy corners of Ethiopia’s growing online world. Revenge [deleted], where nude or sexually explicit photos are shared without consent, has escalated into something more sinister—an organized industry. Young women’s private moments are being exploited for financial gain on social media platforms facilitated by online payments. If left unchecked, this growing menace threatens to devastate the lives of countless women across the country.
She was young and full of trust. Hewan Tewelde, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, no longer recognizes the person she has become. She often finds herself longing for the days before her world was shattered.
Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Hewan was never one for socializing. A quiet and reserved girl, she spent much of her time alone, finding the most comfort in her own company. She describes herself as shy, an introvert, and a bit of a recluse. But beneath the surface, she possessed a sharp sense of humor and a knack for seeing the lighter side of things.
As high school drew to a close, Hewan discovered an outlet for her creative tendencies—social media, particularly Facebook. Online, she felt a sense of ease, sheltered from the awkwardness of real-life interactions. During her freshman year at university, her connection to the digital world deepened with newfound access to Wi-Fi.
"I didn’t think people wanted to be around me in real life. But online, that was my space. I built a persona around comedy and humor," she recalls.
Her online presence flourished, and she built a network of friends who appreciated her wit. She stayed up late every night, chatting with these virtual friends in her dorm room. She now regrets it all.
Five years ago, a man reached out to her on Telegram, claiming to recognize her from Facebook and expressing admiration for her posts. For months, they talked. Looking back, Hewan realizes she was being groomed.
"He asked me everything about my life—my classes, my family—but he never shared anything about himself," she reflects. "In hindsight, I missed all the red flags. I trusted him."
After half a year of conversation, he started persuading her to send explicit photos. At first, she hesitated. But eventually, she gave in.
"I sent him my naked images," she says, her voice heavy with regret. "It was the biggest mistake of my life."
The moment she sent the photos, he blocked her. Hewan knew she'd been deceived, but she could barely foresee how profoundly her life was going to be impacted.
Five months went on, and Hewan found herself in a heated online argument with someone she had met on Facebook. In the middle of their exchange, this person revealed something that shattered her composure—he had her explicit photos.
She panicked as he threatened to expose her. Desperate to avoid public humiliation, Hewan retreated. She muted her online presence, hoping that compliance would make the threat disappear. In exchange, he promised to delete the photos. Out of fear and vulnerability, she even entered into a sexual relationship with him, hoping to stop further harm.
But the nightmare didn’t end there. Looking back, Hewan now suspects that the man who blackmailed her was likely connected to the one who first deceived her on Telegram.
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https://shega.co/news/hidden-horror-how ... oung-women