Mischa Barton Believes She Knows the Individual Attempting to Distribute Her Alleged Sex Tape

(Photo: Twitter / @PEOPLE)Mischa Barton is doing everything she can to defend herself against the [...]

By Sarah Halper

mishca
(Photo: Twitter / @PEOPLE)

Mischa Barton is doing everything she can to defend herself against the alleged "revenge pornography" peddler.

Reports surfaced this week that claim a sex tape of Barton is being shopped around to different pornography companies. She hired attorney Lisa Bloom, who issued a statement on Tuesday stating they plan on prosecuting the peddler under "every available civil and criminal law."

Barton and Bloom held a press conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Click through our slideshow to see what Barton, 31, had to say.

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The former O.C. star's attorney issued a warning to the individual shopping these videos around.

"I am very proud to represent actress Mischa Barton, who is courageously standing up for her rights. It has been reported that naked or sexually explicit images of Ms. Barton are being 'shopped around.' Ms. Barton does not consent to any disclosure of any such images. She believes that she was recorded without her consent by someone she was seeing at the time," Bloom wrote in an official letter.

"There's a name for this disgusting conduct: revenge pornography. Revenge pornography is a form of sexual assault, and it is also a crime and a civil wrong in California. And we will not stand for it," she continued. "I have a message for anyone who attempts to traffic in these photos or videos of Ms. Barton: we will find you, and we will come after you. We will fully prosecute you under every available criminal and civil law. You proceed at your peril."

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A post shared by Mischa Barton (@mischamazing) on

Barton revealed during the press conference that she believes she knows the individual responsible for attempting to distribute the illegally obtained material.

Bloom stated that since Barton "dated him" they asked that she be "protected under California's law against domestic violence which prohibit all forms of abuse by a former intimate partner." The individual was ordered by the court to stay away from Mischa and to not contact her.

"Most importantly, the court ordered that this individual and his agents 'may not sell, distribute, give away or show any naked pictures of videos of any type of Mischa Barton,' " said Bloom, noting violators can be sent to jail.

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The former Dancing With the Stars contestant also filed a police report on the matter and cease and desist letters were sent out to those who have been contacted to the illegally obtained images.

"Miss Barton and I stand for a woman's right to choose what images of her own body will be made public," said Bloom. "You have no right to exploit her or any woman for revenge or financial gain. You have been warned, you proceed at your peril."

Barton says she has not seen the photos, but believes they were taken last year. Bloom maintained that Barton "does not know exactly how the recordings were made, whether there was a hidden camera, which is very common and easy to do, or whether it was a phone camera."

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Watch:

Barton issued a statement during the press conference.

"I just want to say that I've been put through an incredibly hard and trying time," she said. "This is a painful situation, and my absolute worst fear was realized when I learned that someone I thought I loved and trusted was filming my most intimate and private moments, without my consent, with hidden cameras. Then I learned something even worse: that someone is trying to sell these videos and make them public. I came forward to fight this not only for myself but for all the women out there."

"I want to protect them from the pain and humiliation I've had to go through. No woman should have to go through this," she continued. "It is a very hard thing to do but I am glad that I am finally standing up for myself."

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