Mischa Barton Confirms She's the Victim of "Revenge Porn": "My Absolute Worst Fear Was Realized"

She spoke at a press conference with her lawyer

By Holly Passalaqua, Corinne Heller, Alli Rosenbloom Jun 05, 2017 8:41 PMTags

UPDATE: Mischa Barton has had a victory in court today after a judge ruled that her ex must return all explicit materials back to her and not release any of them, E! News has learned. Both parties also agreed to a no-contact clause and must remain at least 100 yards away from one another.

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The actress told reporters Wednesday that her "absolute worst fear was realized" when she learned an ex had filmed an explicit video of her without her consent and that the images were being shopped around.

The O.C. actress and her lawyer Lisa Bloom gave a press conference over the matter, which followed a tabloid report a day earlier about a sex tape. Barton has obtained an emergency restraining order against two exes, who she has not named publicly, over the "revenge porn" and also filed a police report. 

The Los Angeles Police Department tells E! News in a statement: "A report was taken yesterday at the West LA police station. It is currently under review (the police report) and they are going to establish what entity of the department is going to conduct a throughout and formal investigation"

Barton further told reporters at the law offices of the Bloom Firm, "I just want to say I've been through an incredibly hard and trying time. This is a painful situation and my absolute worst fear was realized when I learned that someone I thought I love and trusted was filming my most intimate and private moments without my consent, with hidden cameras. And then I learned something even worse—that someone is trying to sell these videos and make them public."

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"I came forward to fight this not only for myself, but for all the women out there," Barton said. "I want to protect them from the pain and humiliation that I have had to go through. No woman should have to go through this and I am beyond grateful to Lisa Bloom, the Bloom Firm and to all of my friends who have helped me through this horrific experience. It is a very hard thing to do but I am glad that I am finally standing up for myself."

Her attorney said they believe the images in question were taken over the past year and that Barton had had a "brief" relationship with an ex. She said she and the actress have not been in touch with him over the case and did not know if law enforcement had. She did not specify if there was more than one.

Bloom told the press neither she nor Barton have watched the video in question. One reporter told her that a source said Barton was looking at the camera when the recording was made.

"I don't think looking at any particular direction is an indication of knowing that one is being recorded," Bloom said.

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In one of the restraining orders, obtained by E! News, Barton said two past exes are "the only two people who could have any sexually intimate photos or videos" of her.

She said that she dated a man in October and that their relationship did not last long. She said that after they broke up, she discovered he had taken without her permission videos of them having intimate relationships, photos of her naked in the shower and other nude pics. 

She said that she then began dating another man, who told her he was a friend of the previous ex and that the ex had bragged to him about the videos and photos.

"I was emotionally devastated," Barton wrote.

She said she dated the new man "for a while" and that he "too tried to take advantage" of her and forged her signature on some checks and was arrested. He and police have not commented.

"I am concerned about both men now," Barton wrote. "I am worried and afraid to be around either of them and do not want either of them to contact me."

The restraining order Barton obtained bans the men from going near her or contacting her and also bars them from selling, distributing, giving away or showing any naked pictures or videos of her. Her lawyer told reporters cease-and-desist letters were also sent to people who've been reported as having tried to buy or sell the images.

Bloom also said they called the press conference to "let the world know that we consider anyone attempting to traffic these illegally obtained images as agents to this man and agents are covered by the court order."

"Revenge porn is a very common crime that happens to a lot of people," she said. "It happens to people who are not celebrities. It happens to the girls and women who are followers of Ms. Barton and it's scary, even for a celebrity to stand up like this, but it's important for girls and women to stand up for our rights."

(Originally published Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 1:41 p.m.)