Legal Action Fund
Donation protected
Dear potential supporter,
For those of you who don't know me, first let me thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope that you consider helping me with the important fight that lies ahead for me.
I am a father. I am hardworking. I am kind. I am imperfect.
Imagine your worst mistake or biggest regret showing up on Twitter or the evening news, available to all of your family, friends and colleagues to see and judge you on that one mistake.
It happened to me, it's happened to others, and I pray to God it never happens again.
Two years ago, a woman with whom I had a consensual sexual relationship with, set out on a malicious plot against me. She wanted to destroy my reputation, career, relationships, and ultimately, my life. She succeeded.
This woman falsely accused me of sexual assault and orchestrated the publication of my intimate photo without consent. Overnight, I became a national headline and the subject of a public shaming campaign. The ensuing media storm that followed has changed my life forever in ways that I fear I can never repair.
Two years later, I am still unable to rebuild or repair my reputation and career. I have become unemployable. Today, I am without any financial or social resources to support myself. It is a classic "fall from grace" where one mistake ended up costing me my career and life. I have nothing left.
Why should you care?
You should care because we no longer live in an age of digital safety and security. One intimate image in the hands of the wrong person could ruin your career and life just as it did mine.
You should care because there are limited civil repercussions that punish those who choose to engage in cyberbullying and public shaming through non-consensual pornography (revenge porn).
And finally, you should care because the weak have no recourse or defense against this grave injustice, often leaving victims of this crime depressed, suicidal and socially ostracized.
As I have said before, this isn't Hollywood where the rich and wealthy have unlimited financial resources to hide, continue paying their bills, and PR their way out of scandals. That's not the reality we live in.
I have become severely depressed. At first, I tried to bury myself into a deep hole and hope for the pain to subside, but it has not, and my situation has not improved.
I have no income. I see my children once a week. I eat from my local food bank. I have a difficult time engaging in relationships. I have been suicidal. I fear the social backlash of being involved with my kids' minor sports. I fear for my safety. I recently bled my entire retirement income account just to get through Christmas. And last but not least, my car was repossessed in October. I now understand how people end up homeless, because without the blessed few who have helped me I would be there today. I used to earn a six figure living, but have now been reduced to minimum wage jobs (when I can find one) to survive.
After much deliberation, I have decided to start legal action. My lawyer commenced an action in Halifax in January, which you can read about here: Former Halifax professor Michael Kydd sues over explicit photo posted to Twitter
Legal experts are closely watching my case because of the precedent setting potential. You can find an interesting article on what they are saying here: Legal experts closely watching Michael Kydd’s Twitter lawsuit
Over the past two years, people have asked how they can help. I am writing today to tell you how. Please consider donating anything you can towards my legal expenses.
I have created a GoFundMe page to attempt to raise enough funds to allow me to fight for my future, and realistically the future of those who are not able to defend themselves. Donations can be made on an anonymous basis if you prefer to remain anonymous.
GoFundMe charges a 5% fee on all donations, and apart from this overhead cost, all funds raised will go to my legal fees. These will include the fees for my lawyer’s time, court fees, expert fees, etc.
My lawyer, Donna Wilson , is Canada’s leading “revenge porn” lawyer. Last year, she secured the first and only civil judgment in this area. This lawsuit involved a man who humiliated his ex-girlfriend by posting her sexual video on a pornography website. You can read about it here: “Few things… are more private than a sex video”: $100,000 award in revenge porn case a Canadian first
Donna believes strongly in my case, and agrees that it has the potential to set an important precedent for all victims of this crime. Unlike in my case, victims are often young women who attend professional programs. Their reputations are destroyed before they even begin their careers. Unfortunately, courts do not treat such a woman’s future career very seriously. In my case, my career was established, and I can show the losses to my income that I already suffered over the past two years, and that I expect to continue.
I believe my decision to fight back will benefit an entire generation of people – adults and children – who are victims of public shaming and revenge porn.
I hope that a victory will send a strong message. I especially hope to send the message that powerful media and technology companies cannot be allowed to profit from revenge porn. The bottom line is that no one has the right to destroy another person’s life the way mine was.
Unlike child pornography cases, the government does little to prevent or assist when the victims of revenge porn are adults. It is up to victims like myself to fight for ourselves, even with the new Criminal Code offense that came into force just two months after I was attacked.
No one is immune to this threat. Simple intimacy, even with a partner or spouse, or just the act of undressing can result in a hack or a surreptitious recording that can ruin a life. We have seen this in the celebrity cases of Jennifer Lawrence and Erin Andrews for example. The difference for me, and other average people, is that I have lost my reputation and consequently my income. I am in a powerless situation unless I can find outside assistance to continue my fight.
Finally, my case is unique in that the allegations of sexual assault have been particularly devastating.
At the time this occurred, I was separating from my wife. Being early into the separation, I was feeling vulnerable and distraught. This woman pursued me, and a short-lived consensual sexual relationship ensued. She admitted on January 8, 2015 on live television that the relationship was consensual. Later, in June 2015, I was informed by the RCMP that she had filed sexual assault complaints against me with the police. I cooperated with the RCMP and they decided to end the investigation within about a month, and never laid charges against me. These false allegations drove me into an even deeper depression and caused further trauma, anxiety, and sheer panic to me.
I am desperate to salvage my own life, career, and reputation. At only 42 years old, I am not done yet, and I have a lot more to accomplish in this life and in my career.
After this personal experience, I am passionate about fighting this cause and helping all victims of this crime. Unless and until we decide to stand up and fight for our privacy and dignity, our lives can be destroyed at the click of a button.
Please feel free to share with anyone who might be interested in donating. Every dollar helps.
Thank you for your support.
Michael Kydd
For those of you who don't know me, first let me thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope that you consider helping me with the important fight that lies ahead for me.
I am a father. I am hardworking. I am kind. I am imperfect.
Imagine your worst mistake or biggest regret showing up on Twitter or the evening news, available to all of your family, friends and colleagues to see and judge you on that one mistake.
It happened to me, it's happened to others, and I pray to God it never happens again.
Two years ago, a woman with whom I had a consensual sexual relationship with, set out on a malicious plot against me. She wanted to destroy my reputation, career, relationships, and ultimately, my life. She succeeded.
This woman falsely accused me of sexual assault and orchestrated the publication of my intimate photo without consent. Overnight, I became a national headline and the subject of a public shaming campaign. The ensuing media storm that followed has changed my life forever in ways that I fear I can never repair.
Two years later, I am still unable to rebuild or repair my reputation and career. I have become unemployable. Today, I am without any financial or social resources to support myself. It is a classic "fall from grace" where one mistake ended up costing me my career and life. I have nothing left.
Why should you care?
You should care because we no longer live in an age of digital safety and security. One intimate image in the hands of the wrong person could ruin your career and life just as it did mine.
You should care because there are limited civil repercussions that punish those who choose to engage in cyberbullying and public shaming through non-consensual pornography (revenge porn).
And finally, you should care because the weak have no recourse or defense against this grave injustice, often leaving victims of this crime depressed, suicidal and socially ostracized.
As I have said before, this isn't Hollywood where the rich and wealthy have unlimited financial resources to hide, continue paying their bills, and PR their way out of scandals. That's not the reality we live in.
I have become severely depressed. At first, I tried to bury myself into a deep hole and hope for the pain to subside, but it has not, and my situation has not improved.
I have no income. I see my children once a week. I eat from my local food bank. I have a difficult time engaging in relationships. I have been suicidal. I fear the social backlash of being involved with my kids' minor sports. I fear for my safety. I recently bled my entire retirement income account just to get through Christmas. And last but not least, my car was repossessed in October. I now understand how people end up homeless, because without the blessed few who have helped me I would be there today. I used to earn a six figure living, but have now been reduced to minimum wage jobs (when I can find one) to survive.
After much deliberation, I have decided to start legal action. My lawyer commenced an action in Halifax in January, which you can read about here: Former Halifax professor Michael Kydd sues over explicit photo posted to Twitter
Legal experts are closely watching my case because of the precedent setting potential. You can find an interesting article on what they are saying here: Legal experts closely watching Michael Kydd’s Twitter lawsuit
Over the past two years, people have asked how they can help. I am writing today to tell you how. Please consider donating anything you can towards my legal expenses.
I have created a GoFundMe page to attempt to raise enough funds to allow me to fight for my future, and realistically the future of those who are not able to defend themselves. Donations can be made on an anonymous basis if you prefer to remain anonymous.
GoFundMe charges a 5% fee on all donations, and apart from this overhead cost, all funds raised will go to my legal fees. These will include the fees for my lawyer’s time, court fees, expert fees, etc.
My lawyer, Donna Wilson , is Canada’s leading “revenge porn” lawyer. Last year, she secured the first and only civil judgment in this area. This lawsuit involved a man who humiliated his ex-girlfriend by posting her sexual video on a pornography website. You can read about it here: “Few things… are more private than a sex video”: $100,000 award in revenge porn case a Canadian first
Donna believes strongly in my case, and agrees that it has the potential to set an important precedent for all victims of this crime. Unlike in my case, victims are often young women who attend professional programs. Their reputations are destroyed before they even begin their careers. Unfortunately, courts do not treat such a woman’s future career very seriously. In my case, my career was established, and I can show the losses to my income that I already suffered over the past two years, and that I expect to continue.
I believe my decision to fight back will benefit an entire generation of people – adults and children – who are victims of public shaming and revenge porn.
I hope that a victory will send a strong message. I especially hope to send the message that powerful media and technology companies cannot be allowed to profit from revenge porn. The bottom line is that no one has the right to destroy another person’s life the way mine was.
Unlike child pornography cases, the government does little to prevent or assist when the victims of revenge porn are adults. It is up to victims like myself to fight for ourselves, even with the new Criminal Code offense that came into force just two months after I was attacked.
No one is immune to this threat. Simple intimacy, even with a partner or spouse, or just the act of undressing can result in a hack or a surreptitious recording that can ruin a life. We have seen this in the celebrity cases of Jennifer Lawrence and Erin Andrews for example. The difference for me, and other average people, is that I have lost my reputation and consequently my income. I am in a powerless situation unless I can find outside assistance to continue my fight.
Finally, my case is unique in that the allegations of sexual assault have been particularly devastating.
At the time this occurred, I was separating from my wife. Being early into the separation, I was feeling vulnerable and distraught. This woman pursued me, and a short-lived consensual sexual relationship ensued. She admitted on January 8, 2015 on live television that the relationship was consensual. Later, in June 2015, I was informed by the RCMP that she had filed sexual assault complaints against me with the police. I cooperated with the RCMP and they decided to end the investigation within about a month, and never laid charges against me. These false allegations drove me into an even deeper depression and caused further trauma, anxiety, and sheer panic to me.
I am desperate to salvage my own life, career, and reputation. At only 42 years old, I am not done yet, and I have a lot more to accomplish in this life and in my career.
After this personal experience, I am passionate about fighting this cause and helping all victims of this crime. Unless and until we decide to stand up and fight for our privacy and dignity, our lives can be destroyed at the click of a button.
Please feel free to share with anyone who might be interested in donating. Every dollar helps.
Thank you for your support.
Michael Kydd
Organizer
Michael Kydd
Organizer
Bedford, NS
