Craig Barritt/Getty Images for WME LiveAlmost two months after being affected by the nude photo scandal, Gabrielle Union is speaking out about the "gross violation" of privacy.
After penning an essay for Cosmopolitan's December issue about the unfortunate event, the actress decided to share new details about her experience at the Fun Fearless Life conference in New York City.
"I didn't do anything wrong—no matter what people describe to me, 'It's your fault, you're stupid to take nude photos, that's what happens when you're a celebrity'—all this nonsense...they're criminals," she shared (via THR) when talking about the hackers. "What you do with your own body is your choice. Period. There's no gray matter there. And when someone takes your choice away and your power away over your own body, it's a crime. Period. A hacking scandal? We're lessening it, making it more palatable for mass consumption, but it's a crime."
As the search continues for the person or persons responsible, Union believes there would have been much more outrage if the victims weren't considered celebrities.
"Over a hundred women were targeted," Union explained. "If these women weren't celebrities, there would be much more outrage, but because we're female celebrities, ‘we weren't good victims and we enjoyed it, all PR is good PR.' That's what they say."
Whether a celebrity or not, Union shared the shock, fear and disappointment when first learning she was a victim of the scandal.
One day after her wedding to NBA superstar Dwyane Wade, the actress received a text from her team that a massive hack had occurred. It wasn't until three weeks later that her pictures surfaced online, the same time she was having a family-moon with the kids.
"I'm on this island paradise with my family and I had hoped they had apprehended these criminals, but they hadn't," she recalled of the actual leak. "In the moment, I froze. I was mortified, terrified...I just didn't know what to do. I felt I had given so much of myself, but I had saved a little bit for myself and for my husband, and they had taken that from me."
Luckily, Union received more support than she could have ever imagined from her husband, "super Catholic" mom and extended family.
"Everyone I thought would have a negative reaction or blame me in some way, or kindly position it as something I could have avoided—no one did," she said. "Everyone that I love and respect looked at it for what it is, which is a crime."
Although the actress, who contacted the FBI about the matter, has learned her lesson, she has some words of wisdom for women who may find themselves in similar situations.
"I want you all to be the woman who did something about it, the woman who didn't take it lying down, the woman who still accomplished all her goals," she proclaimed. "That is a much better story to tell."