New ‘upskirting’ law puts four men behind bars following a high-profile campaign to make specific powers to combat the disturbing practice
Four men have been jailed in the year since the ‘upskirting’ law was introduced in England and Wales, figures show.
Figures from the Crown Prosecution Service show 16 men have been convicted of 48 offences since April 12, 2019, following a high-profile campaign to create a specific law banning the practice.
Data shows the vast majority of the offences – 33 – took place in supermarkets and shops, with nine on public transport, five in the street, and one in a school.
The law was introduced after campaigner Gina Martin lobbied the Government for two years when she was unable to prosecute a man who took a picture up her skirt at a music festival.
Campaigner Gina Martin on This Morning. Gina campaigned for it to be illegal to take an upskirt picture after being a victim of this practice and unable to prosecute her attacker
Those convicted in England and Wales now face up to two years in custody.
Siobhan Blake, CPS national lead for sexual offences prosecutions, said: ‘It has now been a year since this degrading practice became a specific criminal offence but women continue to be violated as they go about their daily lives.
‘This appears to be a particular problem in shops and on public transport, where predatory men are concealing devices to take pictures up women’s skirts.
‘This is a serious crime and I am very pleased to see police and prosecutors making regular use of this legislation, with almost 50 convictions secured to date.’
A schoolgirl who had indecent pictures taken of her without consent two years ago said the new law was important, but that many younger people failed to understand the seriousness of it.
The victim, Morgan, now 17, from Birmingham – who asked to use only her first name – said : ‘I think people think upskirting is a bit of a joke. Now there is a law, if people knew they could go to prison for two years, it might put them off.’