Lauren Goodger sex tape: Reality star on being a victim of revenge porn 'It made me feel dirty and embarrassed'

A six-second clip of her performing a sex act was circulated via text message, WhatsApp and email without her permission

Lauren Goodger has described the violation and shame she feels after becoming the victim of revenge porn.

A six-second clip, featuring The Only Way Is Essex actress performing a lewd act on her ex-boyfriend, property developer Jake Mclean, was filmed without her knowledge in the couple’s bedroom at the home they shared in Epping Essex.

It was circulated via text message, WhatsApp and email without her permission for over a week.

The clip was also accompanied by her mobile phone number, and has led to a number of unwanted and sexually prying messages from members of the public.

Goodger told the Sun on Sunday that she was "mortified and humiliated" by the leak, and called for tougher laws to be called into place to prevent the same happening to other ex-partners.

Now, she’s spoken to New! Magazine about the ordeal.

"It made me feel dirty and embarrassed," she said. "I was in my home!"

Goodger said that she was out on a shopping trip ahead of a holiday when she first learned of the clip’s existence following a friend’s email.

"I just started shaking," she continued. "I was mortified. I’m private about things like this, so I was worrying about what people would think of me.

"But I’m glad it was with an ex because what we were doing wasn’t wrong."

Goodger, who had ended her relationship with McLean in December, flew to Dubai to continue her holiday hours after the footage first surfaced.

She maintains she did not know she had been filmed by her former partner.

"I had no idea. It’s so embarrassing. I don’t remember him doing it. Never in a million years did I think something like this would happen."

"Regardless of not being together and him hating me, this shouldn’t have happened.

"I’m not like Kim [Kardashian] or Paris [Hilton], who intentionally made sex tapes."

On top of the initial exposure, Goodger suffered further emotional distress after reports accused her of leaking the clip herself, or having invented the existence of the video for publicity reasons.

"Despite speculation to the contrary- Lauren has not leaked any sex tape and finds the suggestion that she would hurtful and absurd," her spokesperson told The Independent.

"She was not even aware of its existence until she was informed by numerous friends and family members who had been sent the clip, and also by several national newspapers and magazines stating that they had been ‘inundated’ with calls trying to ‘sell’ the material.

"After seeking legal advice which left her feeling with little control over the situation because the law is so weak on revenge porn, Lauren decided to confront the problem head on.

"Whilst Lauren doesn't believe she is a victim of ‘intentional’ revenge porn, she does feel strongly that more needs to be done to protect others in similar situations as she has felt powerless to control this. Aside from being in the public eye, the knowledge that her friends, family members and even strangers have seen a private and intimate clip of her and her ex boyfriend has been mortifying for Lauren and she doesn't feel that anyone should have to suffer that kind of embarrassment.

"Lauren feels that stronger laws need to be in place to protect people and that those spreading private and intimate material should be arrested and charged. Hopefully that would act as a deterrent to others and make them think twice about leaking, sharing and spreading material of this nature in the future.

"Lauren’s legal team are keeping a close eye on the web and social media for stills and clips as it is a criminal offence to send indecent images."

A recent study showed that one in ten ex partners have threatened to expose risqué photos of their ex online, while 60 per cent followed through with the threat.

Professor Mary Anne Franks, law professor at the University of Miami School of Law and Vice President of Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, said that she believes "men use revenge porn as a way to punish women for behaving in ways that they do not approve of – for leaving them, for rejecting them, for being happy without them."

With women constituting 90 per cent of revenge porn victims, Franks asserts that it's not surprising that the response to the conduct is often to blame the victim. "Just as with sexual assault, women are expected to ‘take responsibility’ for their lawful personal choices instead of men taking responsibility for their vicious and inexcusable actions."