Georgia Harrison has spoken out after her ex-partner Stephen Bear was convicted of breaching a restraining order put in place to protect her. Bear, 36, pleaded guilty to the breach after launching an online campaign against Harrison, 31, following his release from prison in early 2024.
Bear's Online Campaign and Guilty Plea
Bear, who previously served 21 months in prison for illegally sharing a sex tape of the former couple on OnlyFans, used social media to accuse Harrison of being part of a conspiracy against him. Some of his posts were viewed millions of times and included defamatory statements and images of Harrison. The guilty verdict was the result of a hidden plot, according to Bear.
Harrison's Response: Avoiding the Courtroom
Harrison, who was pregnant at the time of the court proceedings, chose not to attend Bear's conviction hearing. She told The Sun: 'I didn’t go to court this week. I didn’t stay away because it’s too hard. I stayed away because being there would give him the one thing he has always wanted, and the one thing the manosphere machine runs on: attention. A reaction and a spectacle.' She added that 'attention was worth more' to Bear 'than the consequences' of his crimes and that the 'manosphere system' was rewarding him for that behavior. She emphasized her desire to focus on changing 'the culture'.
Background: Revenge Porn Case and Activism
Harrison first rose to fame on Love Island in 2017 but became an activist after Bear uploaded a secretly recorded sex tape of the couple to his OnlyFans account in January 2021. Bear was arrested and later found guilty of voyeurism and disclosing private sexual photographs and films. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison and given a five-year restraining order forbidding contact with Harrison. He served half of his sentence before release.
During the criminal and civil cases, Harrison waived her right to anonymity to raise awareness about the impact of revenge porn. Her campaigning led to government reforms to the Online Safety Act, which passed in October 2023, cracking down on image-based abuse. Labour MP Jess Phillips commended Harrison's bravery, saying she displayed 'courage most people will never be asked to find' and praised her work to change the law regarding revenge porn.
Harrison's Personal Life and Continued Advocacy
Harrison gave birth to her first child, Sahara Jean, in October. She has long campaigned for better legal protection for women and girls from acts of violence. Her work earned her an MBE, making her the first Love Islander to receive such an honor. Bear is due to be sentenced next month at Chelmsford Crown Court.
