2008 Woodie Awards
Police cannot pursue voyeur
Videos shot in public not illegal
Kari Wilberg
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: News
UCF Police say they cannot pursue the voyeur who published more than 100 videos of women's bottoms on the Internet.
Cpl. James Roop, media relations supervisor for the UCF Police Department, said the videos were not illegal.
"We looked at the Web site the gentleman who found the videos [SGA Sen. Ben Collard] told us about but didn't see anything explicit," Roop said.
Roop said people can legally videotape others in public without their consent, even if those videos are of women's bottoms. The videos did not include any up-skirt shots, so no legal action can be taken, Roop said.
After UCF Police sent out an e-mail warning to the UCF community about the voyeur, the videos were removed from the Web site where they were found.
"It looks like he or she removed everything," Roop said. "He or she must have got scared, and one thing is it really raised awareness."
This incident has underlines the fact that anyone can be videotaped on campus.
"It hasn't changed how safe I feel," said Jacqi Anthony, a sophomore molecular and microbiology major. "I just hope it's not me."
Collard found the videos online and informed the police of the Web site. Roop said that this case was presented as an information report, meaning no victims who recognized themselves in the videos have come forward to file a complaint.
Roop said the best thing for women on campus is to be aware and know what to do if they catch someone videotaping them.
Jeannette Emert, community relations officer for the Orlando Police Department, said it is good to cause a scene, point out the person and talk loudly in a place with lots of people.
Emert warned against confronting someone in a secluded place because the situation may become dangerous.
Roop said reports have been filed in the past concerning people being followed.
"A lot of times, people become infatuated with other people," Roop said. "Normally, they know each other."
Roop said people should call 9-1-1 if they ever fear for their life or encounter someone following them after they ask him not to, whether they are being videotaped or not.
"I felt safe on campus before I was aware of what was going on, and now I'm more conscious of the way women are being viewed on campus," said Holly Kapherr, a graduate creative writing student.
Kapherr said it seems especially hard to catch voyeurs because of today's recording technology.
"It makes it difficult to regulate those types of things and make it safer," Kapherr said.
?
Cpl. James Roop, media relations supervisor for the UCF Police Department, said the videos were not illegal.
"We looked at the Web site the gentleman who found the videos [SGA Sen. Ben Collard] told us about but didn't see anything explicit," Roop said.
Roop said people can legally videotape others in public without their consent, even if those videos are of women's bottoms. The videos did not include any up-skirt shots, so no legal action can be taken, Roop said.
After UCF Police sent out an e-mail warning to the UCF community about the voyeur, the videos were removed from the Web site where they were found.
"It looks like he or she removed everything," Roop said. "He or she must have got scared, and one thing is it really raised awareness."
This incident has underlines the fact that anyone can be videotaped on campus.
"It hasn't changed how safe I feel," said Jacqi Anthony, a sophomore molecular and microbiology major. "I just hope it's not me."
Collard found the videos online and informed the police of the Web site. Roop said that this case was presented as an information report, meaning no victims who recognized themselves in the videos have come forward to file a complaint.
Roop said the best thing for women on campus is to be aware and know what to do if they catch someone videotaping them.
Jeannette Emert, community relations officer for the Orlando Police Department, said it is good to cause a scene, point out the person and talk loudly in a place with lots of people.
Emert warned against confronting someone in a secluded place because the situation may become dangerous.
Roop said reports have been filed in the past concerning people being followed.
"A lot of times, people become infatuated with other people," Roop said. "Normally, they know each other."
Roop said people should call 9-1-1 if they ever fear for their life or encounter someone following them after they ask him not to, whether they are being videotaped or not.
"I felt safe on campus before I was aware of what was going on, and now I'm more conscious of the way women are being viewed on campus," said Holly Kapherr, a graduate creative writing student.
Kapherr said it seems especially hard to catch voyeurs because of today's recording technology.
"It makes it difficult to regulate those types of things and make it safer," Kapherr said.
?