Activist Georgia Harrison has been awarded an MBE for her incredible work campaigning against violence against women and girls, specifically intimate image-based abuse after becoming a victim herself within her relationship with Stephen Bear.
She took home GLAMOUR’s Activist of the Year Award at the 2023 Women of the Year Awards, and continues to champion this important work, empowering and supporting victims. Here, she writes for GLAMOUR about how it feels to receive her latest accolade.
When I first learnt that I’d been awarded an MBE, it felt completely surreal. I honestly couldn’t believe it. It took quite a while to sink in that it was actually happening. Since then, I’ve felt a deep sense of elation and pride. Receiving such a prestigious honour is something I never imagined for myself.
It’s an incredible recognition, not just for me, but for the journey I’ve been on and the cause I’ve been fighting for. And to have the opportunity to meet the Royal Family – well, that’s something I’ll be forever grateful for.
What made it even more meaningful was that the work I’ve poured my heart and soul into was recognised. Campaigning isn’t easy. It’s not just about showing up, it’s travelling across the country, sometimes with very little notice, and constantly revisiting the most traumatic chapter of my life to educate others and push for change. It’s emotionally exhausting, especially when you’re sharing your personal story over and over again in order to make people understand the importance of consent, digital safety, and justice.
I don’t always post everything I do in relation to my campaigning. Sometimes it can feel repetitive, and honestly, a lot of campaigning is repetitive. It means turning up to event after event, whether the room is packed or nearly empty, whether it’s in Parliament or a small local event because someone in that room might be the person who can make a difference. You end up repeating the same message again and again, hoping that this time, someone listens.
But throughout it all, you never forget what you’re fighting for. So, when I found out I was being recognised with an MBE, it was nice to know that someone had been watching, that the work hadn’t gone unnoticed.
For those who don’t know my story, everything began in 2020 when my ex-partner, Stephen Bear, recorded and shared intimate footage of me without my consent. The violation itself was horrific, but what truly shocked me was how easily it all happened and the speed at which the footage spread and the fact that online platforms profited from my pain. It made me realise just how broken the system was. How could we live in a world where someone’s worst moment becomes another person’s source of profit? Where consent means nothing as long as the clicks kept coming?
After a nearly three-year-long legal battle, Bear was found guilty of one count of voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private sexual images. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison in March 2023. That courtroom verdict felt like a victory, but only a partial one. The personal battle was over, but the war for justice and protection for others was just beginning.”
Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to fighting for legislative change, awareness, and support for victims of image-based sexual abuse (IBSA). I’ve worked to strengthen laws around non-consensual imagery and deepfake pornography, helping ensure that victims can now seek justice more easily.