Photo of husband posted on Facebook group with allegation - legalities?

[Hattie24]

Earlier I was alerted to a post by a woman on our town’s community Facebook page. It is a rant about a flat in her block being used by a group of prostitutes which is causing issues at unsociable hours and how the landlord isn’t doing anything about it. Under this there are photos of various men at the entrance of the block of flats and one of them is my husband. The insinuation is that these have all been visiting that flat.

I want to know the legalities of this woman posting such an allegation as she is outright refusing to remove the post. It is obviously extremely humiliating for me (friends and no doubt colleagues have seen it) and there’s so many comments underneath. We’ve been on a ‘break’ due to various issues but still living together and haven’t been intimate for nearly a year so I don’t need a lecture on how I shouldn’t have married such a man.

Is it me or is someone putting up a post like this without any thought for the consequences on various families etc utterly disgusting?

How can you be "on a break" when you are married and living together? You mean you're just not having sex, or not washing his socks as well?

Just curious. I thought you're married or you're not.

This isn't how libel works at all.

Firstly, OP cannot sue for libel on behalf of her husband. Her husband is the one being defamed, he would have to bring the action.

Secondly, the person bringing the action does not have to prove anything. The person accused of libel (in this case the woman who posted on FB) has to defend themselves using one or more of several set defences, one of which is that their statement is materially true.

Physio my arse! In a block of flats?

I know you said you've not been intimate in a long time but I would be more concerned with getting myself to an std clinic. God only knows how long the dirty bastard has been visiting prostitutes

and if photographing him and sharing wasn’t illegal either then he and this woman are both on solid legal ground, so as long as that’s all you’re worried about you’re all good!
he has been using prostitutes, that’s on him, and you need to try and stop feeling referred shame. No one will blame his ex or his kids for this, they will judge him but that’s perfectly reasonable. Thats on him. Fuck around and find out, literally. Stop messaging this woman, stop trying to believe your lying ex, and put your energy into yourself and your children.

No one reasonable will blame her or the kids, but there is one person on this thread trying to pretend that a prostitute user uses prostitutes because of lack of sex in marriage - which is never the case. Men use prostitutes because those men are scum, without exception.

If I was her I'd just move away to be honest and distance myself from him completely and tell nobody about it, but it sounds like she has doormat tattooed on her forehead, so my guess is she will continue to subject her kids to this man and continue to blame everyone else for her crap life.

Not yet, but I'm in favour of criminalising it. And shaming the perpetrators.

I support the residents' actions and have no idea why you're getting your knickers in a twist over protecting the sleazeball you are barely married to.

@Boddica2000 It doesn't matter, at all. If they were innocent, they will be fine. If they are guilty, they will also be fine. It's not illegal to use prostitutes, so they will suffer no punishment at all.

This is a bizarre thing to say. Of course there will be negative consequences for the men, because it's not socially acceptable (this should be self-evident just from reading this thread). This could have negative consequences on their friendships, relationships, and employment.

Literally the only people they have to worry about explaining themselves to are their families and that will be fine too if they are innocent.

Well, not necessarily. Even if they didn't visit prostitutes, their families may choose not to believe them, which would be disastrous for the relationship.

I always laugh at the notion that men are actually punished for this sort of behaviour, there are men all over the world in positions of massive power who raped women, beat women, everybody knows, nobody cares. She is doing a public service to their wives, and I hope her posts stay up and she keeps posting.

I think you are massively missing the point here. It's not about defending men who rape or beat women; it should go without saying that abusing women is inexcusible.

The issue is that men are being judged by the general public when there is a very real possibility that at least some of these men have not visited a prostitute at all.

If someone has not done anything wrong, then it's wrong for that person to be accused of having done something wrong.

Wind your bloody neck in ffs

Where the hell have I laid blame at anyones doorstep?

Or do you just want a pop because Im not braying for blood and demanding she leaves the bastard straight off. When she already states they are separated and dont have sex?

Her post is more about her feelings of shame that her shit show of a marriage is now posted on SM for all to see

But hey, lets slag a sex worker earring money and a man rather then having an affair using her services then look at what is actually driving the post

You are 100 percent wrong, I am 100 percent right. I understand the sort of woman you are completely, there is nothing else, literally not one single word you have to say on this subject that interests me.

So we'll leave it there.

The issue is that men are being judged by the general public when there is a very real possibility that at least some of these men have not visited a prostitute at all.

There would be a bunch of replies saying "That's Geoff from Brownfields, he's a plumber and I know for a fact he was called out to these flats that afternoon".

If it's anything like my local page, there would also be comments saying "Whoa, Robert! Never knew you were such a lad! We should meet up, fancy a night at Strips4U next Thursday? Beers are on me 😜" .(only it'd be full of spelling mistakes).

Got things I have to go and do now.

If you are a doormat defender of grubby men pretending the facebook woman has done something wrong please go and burble at someone else, I have no interest at all in anything you have to say.

I firmly and completely believe my stance to be absolutely correct and will not be swayed in any way, therefore attempting to argue with me further will be nothing more than trolling, you know it, I know it and there is nothing more to say.

Can't stop you from babbling and gibbering, but just know that if I do reply, at any point, it will be to copy paste my answer to you.

Sometimes things really are black and white and this is one of those times. I'm right, the end.

I won't give women who disingenously attempt to defend grubby, grim men the time of day, you are not on my level and you do not deserve my conversation, so you won't be getting it.

Byeee! 😘

But what if some of the men pictured were not in fact there for that reason?

I agree OP. No one should be allowed to post unfounded allegations of people. It’s trial by social media - we have a legal system for a reason. Your DH may well be “guilty” but the poster does not know that for sure and they aren’t the police so won’t be able to investigate and obtain evidence. And the person doesn’t get their “day in court” and allowed to provide their side of any story, before being publicly shamed. And as you say it’s not just the person it affects, it can also have repercussions for family members. I don’t understand why anyone would think this is ok. I suspect they’d change their tune if they were unfairly accused of something and had their picture plastered over social media.

Our local Facebook group has banned such images/posts thankfully. OP are you aware you can report posts to both group admins AND Facebook as a whole. You are more likely to have joy with the group admins (Facebook moderation leaves a lot to be desired!), so I’d try them first mentioning defamation. Good luck it’s high time this practice was banned altogether.

I mean, this is true. I can completely see how desperate you would be and this might feel like, and even be, a way to make it stop.

Yes, it’s illegal and would be considered harassment by police.

this woman also has no proof these guys are going in to meet prostitutes unless she’s been in the flat herself.

you need to get legal advice- especially if she’s named him. Unfortunately even if she deletes it the internet is forever. You are right in that people like her do not think about thes guys families who are caught in the crossfire

In which case, don't humiliate yourself even more by pursuing legal action and sending a strongly worded letter, or whatever you planned to do.

I’m afraid this is incorrect. I suggest you have a read of the UK GDPR to find out the actual legal requirements.

Look your ex was seeing a prostitute ( most likely) and lied to you ( saying he was seeing a physio). You are focusing on your shame rather than his behaviour. Kick his sorry ass out of your life and be grateful people have caught him in the act. It might save you from future STDs!

For once and for all it is completely and totally legal for her to post these pictures. No idea why people would pretend otherwise when a quick search will find the answer for you.

"Legally, anyone in the UK can photograph people in public places without their consent. This includes streets, parks, and public events. The absence of a specific privacy right in these public settings means that individuals are generally deemed to have a reduced expectation of privacy while in public. These photographs can generally be used for personal, editorial, artistic, and journalistic purposes without needing the consent of the people in the images. However, the use of these photos for commercial purposes would require consent."

Found that on pauldavidsmith dot co dot uk backslash laws-for-sharing-photos-online backslash

There are hundreds of easily available sites which will say the same.

The ONLY question is whether or not she has defamed him. Well, to do so it would first HAVE TO BE UNTRUE. So, if he hasn't done it and can prove that he could have a case.

But he won't pursue a case because, let's face it, he's as guilty as sin.

Again, if it's ok to use prostitutes it's absolutely perfectly fine to have everyone know that.

Well done to that woman for trying to keep women and children who live in that building safe from coming into contact with filthy debauched men who abuse women.

Physios usually work from clinics, I've never heard of one working from a private residence before. He must think you were born yesterday by your niaivity.......

The muscle that was injured isn't the muscle he was using and that's certainly not injured....

His behaviour has caused any impact on family. Someone publicising it is only a conduit. Nevermind strongly worded messages to the woman sick of these men, focus on removing him from your life.

You say “families”, but you don’t mention any children, so you mean yourself. Be honest about that and get rid of him, so that his behaviour no longer impacts you .

surely you can report to admin
plenty of reasons to report to admin

To be fair, she has kids to consider. I think we all agree he is the problem (OP included) but posting the photo on Facebook affects the whole family, not just him.

@Hattie24 Turn your anger towards your disgusting ex. Raise your bar and don't try to have a relationship with someone who doesn't treat women like commodities. The only reason you would be embarrassed is is you stay with the twat.

#teamFBwoman

The ONLY question is whether or not she has defamed him. Well, to do so it would first HAVE TO BE UNTRUE. So, if he hasn't done it and can prove that he could have a case.

Again, this is not how libel works in the UK. The burden of proof lies entirely with the person accused of libel. There are usually four defences available, one of which is that their statement was true.

They, and they alone, have to prove that fact to a set standard. The party bringing the action does not have to prove/disprove anything.