Homewrecker website shaming mistresses legal?

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Over 175 California women are labeled as homewreckers on a controversial website which allows scorned women to get back at “the other woman,” reports CBS Sacramento.

Lorena Velasco, an Amador County woman, who found herself on shesahomewrecker.com, a site which encourages women to post pictures and stories about their husband’s mistresses, says it's true she had an affair but thinks what has been posted about her isn’t fair.

Velasco told the station that when she got involved with a married man, he told her he was separated and had moved out.

She never thought of herself as a homewrecker, but a search of her name online turns up her name and  pictures on the site. The images were taken from her Facebook page, reports CBS Sacramento.

“It’s hurtful. It’s very hurtful,” said Velasco. “… I guess she was so scorned that she felt the need to Facebook-stalk me, steal my pictures and say these things about me.” 

Velasco, who is the mother of a 3-year-old, says she is afraid the post could keep her from finding a job, but  can’t get it removed. The website reportedly says once a post is up, it stays up.

Ariella Alexander, the owner of shesahomewrecker.com, told CBS Sacramento the purpose of the site is to give victims of affairs a voice and strike fear in women before they think about becoming a mistress.

 “Yes, it’s a man’s fault. But I expect more from a woman. I think women should respect other women,” said Alexander.

She admits not everything posted on her site may be true but says that’s not her problem, reports the station.

“I provide the platform and I post the stories, but I’m not responsible to verify the validity of the stories,” said Alexander.

California attorney Stuart Talley says that under the law, Alexander is protected from being held responsible for defamatory or libelous remarks users post online. However, Talley says the website’s name alone could prove to be problematic for Alexander.

“The message at the top of the website is conveying anyone listed on this website is a homewrecker. So she’s the one sending the message,” said Talley.

Meanwhile, Lorena Velasco told the station she is exploring her legal options.

Alexander says she has never been successfully sued. And she says she’s also starting hesahomewrecker.com.