A Playboy model who allegedly took a photo of a nude 70-year-old woman in the shower of a Playa Vista gym locker room and posted it on social media with a derogatory comment was charged Friday with a misdemeanor count of invasion of privacy.
Dani Mathers, the 29-year-old 2015 Playboy Playmate of the Year, came under a firestorm of criticism after the photo appeared on her Snapchat account in July. The picture showed the naked woman from behind, her head turned away from the camera, with the message, “If I can’t unsee this then you can’t either.”
Mathers, who was later banned from L.A. Fitness gyms, could face six months in jail and up to a $1,000 fine if convicted, according to the City Attorney’s Office. She is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 28.
“Body shaming is humiliating, with often painful, long-term consequences,” said City Attorney Mike Feuer. “It mocks and stigmatizes its victims, tearing down self-respect and perpetuating the harmful idea that our unique physical appearances should be compared to air-brushed notions of `perfect.’
What really matters is our character and humanity,” he said. “While body shaming, in itself, is not a crime, there are circumstances in which invading one’s privacy to accomplish it can be. And we shouldn’t tolerate that.”
Shortly after the photo was posted, Mathers apologized, writing on her Twitter account, “I’m sorry for what I did. I need to take some time to myself now to reflect on why I did this horrible thing.”
In another post, she wrote, “This was a huge mistake and I’m so sorry. I understand that this was wrong and I will do everything in my power to show you.” In another, she indicated that she did not mean to post the photo publicly, only send it to a friend.
In response to the charge, Mather’s attorney Tom Mesereau told ABC7, “I’m very disappointed that Dani Mathers was charged with any violation. She never tried to invade anyone’s privacy and never tried to break any law.”
— City News Service