(Associated Press Photo)

NEW YORK – On Tuesday, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law criminalizing the publication of "revenge porn," or the non-consensual sharing or publication of an intimate image.

According to Cuomo’s press office, this new law subjects abusers to criminal penalties of up to a year in jail, plus civil damages, and empowers victims to seek a court order to remove these images online.

"Our laws have not kept pace with technology and how abusers can use it to harass, intimidate and humiliate intimate partners," said Cuomo. "By criminalizing the publication of revenge porn, we are empowering victims of this heinous act to take action against their abusers and showing them a path to justice."