When a string of celebrity nude photos leaked online a couple of months ago, it seemed that every day a new celebrity had been targeted and exposed to the masses. Gabrielle Union was one of the victims of the hack, and in a powerful and honest essay she wrote for Cosmopolitan magazine, the actress explained why this incident is so disgraceful.

"Some people say the publicity surrounding the photos helps our careers. We don't need this kind of press," Union said.

"Jennifer Lawrence is the face of two billion-dollar franchises. It's not a career boost — it's a new form of sexual abuse," she continued. "Other people think that they are entitled to know everything about us because we are celebrities, in the public eye. No. If I show my husband my naked body, it doesn't mean everyone gets to see it. And people sometimes argue: But you wear skimpy bikinis — what's the difference? The difference is that you are the one who chooses whether to show your body. When billions of people on the Internet can see you naked without your consent, it's a crime."

Union also called out the social activists who turned the other way when this incident occurred, saying that their silence spoke volumes.

"Where are all the women's groups, the feminists, demanding justice in this case?" she asked. "The silence is deafening. Any time you lose control over your body, it's a violation and a crime. In addition, some of the stolen photos reportedly depict women when they were underage — that's child pornography. I hope people think about all these things when they consider clicking on these private images."

To read her entire essay, click here.

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(Photo: Mychal Watts/WireImage)