voyeurs

The railway station JR Hakata Fukuoka is neither more nor less than that: one of the many (many) terminals spread throughout Japan. At the end of last year it was news however for an unconventional initiative. Those responsible installed a series of angular mirrors of rectangular shape and 32.5×48.5 cm on both sides of the escalators so that passengers can detect any suspicious movement behind their backs. The curious thing is what crimes those responsible for the station want to avoid. They don’t have pickpockets or crooks in mind as much as voyeurs with cameras. “Be careful with the recordings!” The JR Hakata Station Case it’s interesting because it is part of a larger problem that goes far beyond Fukuoka: voyeurism. More specifically, the capture of intimate photos of women without their consent. For reference, the Hakata police station recorded 200 violations of the law between January and September 2025 alone. This makes it easier to understand that under the mirrors installed on the stairs of JR Hakata there are posters warning: “Beware of covert recordings!” “We hope they will help reduce crime. We want to prove to society that we do not tolerate voyeurism,” claims the head of the police station, Y. Kiyosue. The number: 9,237. Going beyond particular cases or simple anecdotes is not always easy, but that is what CNN has just done in a article in which he analyzes the problem of voyeurism in Japan, focusing especially on those people who take photos or record videos clandestinely, for example by sliding their cell phone under girls’ skirts. According to the American media, despite the efforts of the Japanese authorities to stop the problem and the tightening of laws, photographic voyeurism continues to be a scourge. Only in 2025 did the police carry out 9,237 arrests related to cases of voyeurs, the highest number to date. In 2023 another analysis BBC’s report on the same topic estimated the number of arrests for clandestine photos at more than 5,000, which at that time was already a record number and represented three times as many incidents as in 2010. One of the most affected groups were airplane stewards. A survey by the National Aviation Union revealed that almost seven out of ten Japan’s flight attendants had reported taking photographs behind their backs. What is the reason for this increase? The increase in cases is overwhelming, but it does not have to show that voyeurism has skyrocketed. Or that doesn’t have to be the only reason. In Japan, the authorities slip that if the number of arrests has exceeded 9,200, it is, in part, because in 2023 national legislation adapted to strengthen the fight against sexual crimes. The change allowed ‘photographic voyeurism’ to go from being prosecuted based on ordinances of local prefectures to having a more general framework, with defined crimes. In reality, the change adopted in 2023 is much broader and affects other sexual crimes. For example, one of his most famous measures was the expansion of the sexual consent law, which passed from 13 to 16 years. Shortly before, in 2017Japan had already revised its Penal and Prosecution Code for the first time in more than a century to clarify two basic questions: what exactly rape is and whether only women can be victims of assault. @cnn Videos of suspected upskirters being chased through Japan’s streets are a daily sight on social media. But police data shows a troubling shift—a growing number of those accused are children themselves. CNN’s Hanako Montgomery and her team spent months investigating why more minors are committing this crime and spoke to a minor who filmed about 30 girls before being caught. ♬ original sound – CNN A ‘simpler’ crime. Another key that helps understand the increase in arrests is that voyeurs who want to secretly take photos have it much easier today than a few decades ago. The expansion of the smartphones It allows everyone to carry a camera in their pocket and social networks and messaging apps make it easy for those looking to exchange material. CNN reporters documented for example Telegram and Discord chats. The first ensures that its moderation system eliminates millions of files every month and in 2026 it eliminated more than 260,000 groups and channels. Peeping Toms and Sport. The truth is that there is a quick review of the newspaper library to read cases about hidden cameras or coaches complaining of the onlookers. A particularly notable case occurred in May, when an athlete who participated in the Dishui Xing-Quan Lake Traverse denounced that intimate photos of him had been shared on an official platform with 10,000 viewers. ZME Science assures There are athletes who even wear clothing made with a fabric capable of absorbing infrared light. The objective: to stop voyeurs who use special cameras to better appreciate their silhouette or underwear. School pending. The problem is serious enough that in March the Ministry of Education review the guidelines that seek to avoid inappropriate sexual behavior between teachers and students. Among other issues, the Government’s draft with the legislative changes contemplated the dismissal of those teachers who commit this type of crime and that classrooms, bathrooms and locker rooms be inspected to avoid hidden cameras. It is not a toast to the sun or a capricious measure. Does just one year Two teachers were arrested accused of sharing intimate images of minors through messaging apps in which other primary and secondary teachers allegedly participated. According to the AFP agency, the detainees, men aged 42 and 37, allegedly photographed girls under 13 in their underwear. It matters how much… and who. CNN slides another worrying fact: It is not just that the number of arrests for voyeurism has increased, it is that the profile of those who commit this type of crime seems to be diversifying. It is no longer just about adult men (like the teachers ‘hunted’ last year), but also about children. According to the data consulted by the chain, the cases with … Read more