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Veteran, Active Duty Marine Speak Out in Marine FB Group Scandal

An active duty Marine based in Camp Pendleton and a Marine veteran are calling for change in the system after the Military's nude photo scandal. 

Marisa Wyotek, 22, an aviation technician based in Camp Pendleton, attended press conference where high-profile attorney Gloria Allred and U.S. Marine veteran Erika Butner spoke about the latest developments in the nude photo scandal.

Wyotek and Butner had personal images posted without consent to a closed Facebook group with a following of over 30,000 male service members.

Users shared nude images of active duty female Marines, veterans and other women, some of which were taken without the victim's knowledge and shared without their consent. It is not known how many service members were involved or are under investigation.

Allred came to San Diego because Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine commandant, was scheduled to visit Camp Pendleton on Thursday. She and her clients are hoping to meet with him.

After the press conference, Wyotek said many woman may be afraid to come forward. 

"They are too terrified to come forward, the backlash that they will receive whether in person through their command or through social media, it's definitely scary," the local Marine said. "As someone who has spoken out and has received backlash I can understand their worry."

The photos, Butner said, prompted obscene and lurid descriptions of β€œall the unspeakable things they’d do to me."

Gen. Neller has admonished those Marines who took part in the FB group. Neller has said fewer than 10 women victims have come forward so far in the ever-widening investigation into nude photos of female service members that were posted online without their permission.

Gloria Allred wants to take things a step further.

She wants the way the military deals with these types of cases to change. At the press conference, she called for written consent of a woman, before her picture is posted by servicemen on these types of websites.

β€œLet's see the results and let's see how open they are to hearing from any victim who would like to meet with General Neller and would like to testify before the United States Congress," Allred said.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service launched an investigation into the matter and is urging victims of the photo-sharing to come forward.

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