New approach to upskirt photo predators as CPS updates guidelines to include offenders who ‘cyberflash’ nearby women by sending unsolicited indecent photos
- The Crown Prosecution Service has updated the upskirt legal guidelines
- They encourage women who experience it to go to the police
- 71% of British women have experienced sexual harassment in a public place
- The CPS’s action aims to encourage more victims to come forward
Women who are sexually harassed in the street should go to the police, the Crown Prosecution Service urges today, as it promises to take violators to justice.
Prosecutors said perpetrators will face repercussions if they expose themselves, take ‘upside down’ photos or cause women ‘harassment, alarm or fear’.
It has updated its legal guidelines for lawyers to ensure that public sexual abuse is taken seriously.
The CPS said it would also apply to offenders who “cyber flash” women by sending unsolicited indecent photos to nearby victims using short-range data-sharing technology such as Bluetooth.
It comes after a report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for UN Women last year found that 71 per cent of women in the UK had experienced some form of sexual harassment in a public place, but the vast majority – 95 per cent – of these victims did not report to the police.
The CPS National Leader for Rape and Serious Sexual Crimes, Siobhan Blake, said: “The law is clear that if someone exposes themselves, tries to take inappropriate photos or makes you feel threatened on the street, these are crimes and should not be dismissed.” .
The CPS has updated its legal guidelines to ensure that sexual abuse in public places is taken seriously. It will now also apply to those who ‘cyberflashing’ women by sending unsolicited photos (stock image)
“Everyone has the right to travel on public transport, dance at a festival or walk down the street without fear of intimidation.
‘Feeling safe shouldn’t be a luxury for women.’
She added: ‘It is sickening that seven out of ten women have experienced this disgusting behaviour. It’s also worrying that there are so few reports of sexual harassment in public.”
The CPS’s action aims to encourage more victims to come forward and ensure prosecutions are carried out consistently.
“We understand why women may be reluctant to come forward if they are the victims of these shocking and terrifying incidents, but we want to send a clear message that this harassing behavior could be a criminal offence,” Ms Blake said.
“The law is there to protect you and make our streets safer. We will do everything we can, in conjunction with the police, to support those who come forward.”
A number of celebrities, including actress Emily Atack, podcast host and writer Emily Clarkson, and former Love Island star Zara McDermott, have all spoken out publicly about their experiences with so-called cyber flashes and the suffering it caused.
A survey by dating app Bumble found that 48 percent of women ages 18 to 24 had experienced an unwanted sexual image in the previous year.
Last month, the Law Commission proposed creating a new offense for intentionally taking or sharing sexual, nude or intimate photos or videos without consent, with a maximum penalty of six months in prison.
More serious offenses, such as threatening to share nude photos, should be punished by two to three years.