“Voyeurism is a psychosexual disorder in which a person derives sexual pleasure and gratification from looking at the naked bodies and genital organs or observing the sexual acts of others. The voyeur is usually hidden from view of others. Voyeurism is a form of paraphilia. A variant form of voyeurism involves listening to erotic conversations. This is commonly referred to as telephone sex, although it is usually considered voyeurism primarily in the instance of listening to unsuspecting persons”.
The predator usually observes unsuspecting individuals who are naked, in the process of undressing or engaging in sexual acts. The person being observed is usually a stranger to the observer. The act of looking or peeping is undertaken for the purpose of achieving sexual excitement. The observer generally does not seek to have sexual contact or activity with the person being observed. The voyeur’s may also fantasize having sex with the victim, but may not consummate his or her fantasy. Majority of voyeurs usually male start this as early as 15 years old and may get treatment through counseling or psychotherapy. Although these are characteristics of a typical male, it becomes a disorder when it’s obsessive to the extent where it develops into an addiction.
As far as legalities, it is hard to apprehend a voyeur since there are no laws against it in most states. It is also hard to provide evidence stating the amount of emotional distress the victim undergoes, after discovering the invasion. “A number of states have statutes that render voyeurism a crime. Such statutes vary widely regarding definitions of voyeurism. Most states specifically prohibit anyone from photographing or videotaping another person, without consent, while observing that person in the privacy of his home or some other private place”. I believe this is a crime that needs to be taken more seriously due its psychological nature and it’s degrading feelings the victims are succumb to, in their quest to enjoy their private moments.
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At a previous job there was a gentleman that worked in the building that had installed a camera in the sprinkler of a unisex bathroom. He had accidently left a tape in a VCR that was going to be used to show a training video. When the tape was reviewed by police there had been more than a dozen people on the tape. He was fired, arrested and charged. After all was said and done three of the victims were in therapy and two had created medical problems because they refused to use public bathrooms. Ultimately he was given an 18 month suspended sentence and a fine, which seemed to everyone a joke and barely a slap on the wrist. The catch was that he didn’t record sound and video. Had he been recording sound in any way he may have been facing 15 years for each person on the video. The fact that the individuals could not hear themselves as they were sitting on the toilet didn’t make it any easier for them; that’s for sure. Voyeurism not being as closely defined as a law was this guy’s”get out of jail free card”.
ReplyDeleteI think sound or no sound, as long as an individual does not consent to being photographed is a psychopathic and punishable crime. I would be devastated if i discovered someone was taping me.
ReplyDeleteThese people should also be registered sex offenders if you ask me...the man at your old job may just as well raped those women. The damage is the same, since they somewhat develop agoraphobia.