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Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Voyeurism: What to do if someone is covertly filming you?
By Serena Solomon of RNZ It is unclear how often people are recorded without their consent in intimate situations and settings, but advances in digital cameras are likely making it more common. Voyeurism has been in the news frequently over the last few weeks. On Wednesday, news broke that a Dunedin man in his 20s pleaded guilty to filming himself and a woman performing a sex act without her knowledge and sharing it on his rugby team's group chat. His flatmate also pleaded guilty to filming a video of her while she slept. He shared the content that contained images of her in her underwear with her breasts exposed. Last month, a Stuff investigation revealed the Prime Minister's deputy chief press secretary Michael Forbes recorded the audio of his sessions with sex workers without their consent. He also amassed covertly taken images of women in grocery stores, at the gym and filmed some in homes through their windows. The revelations resulted in his resignation but Forbes is yet to be charged with a crime by New Zealand police. Then came a court martial hearing of Corporal Manu Smith where he was sentenced for filming sex with a girlfriend without her consent. Whether it reaches the attention of the law, the media or even victims, it's possible that voyeurism - sexual gratification from observing others in private settings without their knowledge - is happening constantly. However, because of its secretive nature, we will never know how prevalent it is and whether the greater risk comes from strangers or if perpetrators are more likely to be known by victims, as is the case with other sexual abuse. What is voyeurism? The Crimes (Intimate Covert Filming) Amendment Act 2006 addresses voyeurism when a recording device is involved. The act makes it illegal to create visual recordings without the knowledge or consent of the person being recorded in a situation where that person 'would reasonably be expected to provide privacy..." It is generally legal to take unconsented images and video of others in public places, but not in private places such as a public change room or a toilet and if that person is 'naked, in underclothes, showering, toileting etc,' says Detective Inspector Rebecca Cotton from New Zealand Police. The 2006 law was introduced in response to increased instances of 'upskirting and downblousing,' according to Dr Cassandra Mudgway, a senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury's law school. At the time, digital recording technology paved the way for perpetrators to install, say, small cameras on their shoes and walk around town recording up women's skirts. 'These days, we don't have good numbers around prevalence and of course, this is covert so by its very nature it is secret,' says Mudgway, adding that technology advances makes voyeurism easier to pull off and likely more common. The covert recordings Forbes made have highlighted gaps in the 2006 law, where audio recordings are not covered. The images he secretly took of women in public likely didn't meet the law's threshold of an "intimate visual recording". Advocates and survivors of voyeurism are pushing to change that. When it comes to sexual abuse in general, the vast majority of victims will know their perpetrator such as a family member, a teacher, or a co-worker. No such data exists for crimes involving intimate and covert recording or peeping tom cases, voyeurism that does not involve a recording. However, Auckland-based clinical psychologist Barry Kirker has noticed a pattern in his work with perpetrators. An adult victim is more likely to be filmed in public by a stranger, and a young person is more likely to be filmed in their home, he says. Why is voyeurism a violation? It's true that many victims of voyeurism will never know that a crime has been committed against them. It's also true that a perpetrator may never lay a finger on their victim, but that doesn't make the crime any less painful for those who know they have been recorded, says Ruth Money, the government's chief adviser for victims of crime. 'It's violating because it is... somewhere where you should be safe and feel completely private and safe and that's what sexual assault is - power and control - and that is why people feel incredibly violated and vulnerable.' Some victims might be able to brush it off. But many will not - and shouldn't. It could also trigger the trauma of past abuse, says Money. '...then you go take yourself down a very understandable route of thinking, 'Well, what has this person done with the content? Because it's unauthorised images.' In the case of the New Zealand soldier and the Dunedin men who themselves himself having sex with women without consent, they were accused of sending that content to others. Social media and now AI's ability to generate deep fake images including pornographic photos and videos has also changed the game. '...Something like online harms or harms that involve technology, we're seeing increasing prevalence from strangers, people that you don't know [as perpetrators] which is something that's quite new, I think', says Mudgway. What to do if you think you are being recorded? If you believe you are being recorded in breach of the Crimes (Intimate Covert Filming) Amendment Act 2006, you should report it to police by calling 105, according to Detective Inspector Cotton. 'Police would then assess the information provided to determine whether any criminal offending had taken place and/or if any further investigation was required.' If the incident occurs in a gym or a pool, inform the manager. This could result in the perpetrator losing their membership or facing a ban from the establishment, says Mudgway. 'I've actually just looked at all of the gyms that have chains around New Zealand and seen that almost all of them have some kind of [voyeurism] policy. '... even if nothing comes of it, I think it's really important that people understand that it's still a breach of your right to privacy and your right to personal dignity, even if there is no specific law that covers that, you still have those rights.' A civil suit - essentially suing the accused perpetrator - is also a possible but potentially expensive option, according to Mudgway. 'The difference between criminal and civil is that civil has a lower burden of proof, which means that you only have to prove that it's more likely than not that in that place [the victim] had a reasonable expectation of privacy versus a crime where it has to be beyond reasonable doubt.' Finding help if you're a victim of voyeurism New Zealand still has room for improvement when it comes to reducing the burden on victims and survivors when it comes to seeking help, says Money. 'When your world is turned upside down, when you are violated and there is a trauma response, it means that you don't necessarily think rationally or in a linear fashion anymore.' When you report a crime to the police, they can refer you straight to local agencies such as rape crisis centres or women's centres that help victims of sexual crimes. However, sometimes referrals fall through the cracks or agencies lack the funding to truly help all referrals, says Money. Victims can also self-refer to those agencies including Victim Support, a national organisation that supports those who have experienced various crimes. ACC's Sensitive Claims Service accepts self-referrals and provides help for mental harm caused by sexual assault or abuse. The Safe to Talk hotline is another avenue for help. 'I do acknowledge it's difficult being a survivor and navigating the system so, I just want to encourage people not to be afraid to ask for help because it is out there,' says Money. 'It does exist.' Where to get help Call the Safe to talk hotline on 0800 044 334 or visit their website Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357 . any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any 0800 543 354 or text to . Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends. Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202 . . Samaritans: 0800 726 666. Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@ or email talk@ What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds. Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832 . Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English. . Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English. Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254. Healthline: 0800 611 116. Rainbow Youth: 09 376 4155. OUTLine: 0800 688 5463. Eating Disorders Carer Support NZ: Also on Facebook. If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Cool Kiwis: five figures who tick all the boxes
Serena Solomon uncovers five New Zealanders who tick the boxes of being "cool". The secret to what makes someone cool now has some scientific backing. A recent study concluded that cool people tend to have the following traits: extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous. While extroverts need little introductions, the other traits might. For the study, people who are considered hedonistic are people who put pleasure first and enjoy life. An adventurer is someone who takes risks and likes surprises. Someone who is open refers to a person who is creative and open to new ideas. A powerful person has money or is someone who has others under their authority. Universidad Adolfo Ibanez associate professor of marketing Todd Pezzuti, lead researcher on the study, offered up — like it or not — tech billionaire Elon Musk as someone who hits all six markers. So, who are New Zealanders that possess the formula that equals cool? I've come up with five New Zealanders who hit all six traits, thus making them verifiably cool, according to science. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but a starting point for who makes the cut. Taika Waititi It is hard to know what a person is like in private, but by all accounts, the film director, script writer and actor is an extrovert to the max. Creative risk-taking on early projects such as Boy , What We Do in the Shadows and Thor: Ragnarok vaulted him to the upper tier of Hollywood, winning an Oscar as proof. As for hedonism, Waititi is living his best life with his wife, singer Rita Ora. And what is a director who does not love bossing people around on set? Parris Goebel Goebel is from South Auckland and is one of the most sought-after choreographers in the world, working with the likes of Rihanna and, most recently, on the viral dance for Lady Gaga's Abracadabra music video. If her Instagram account is anything to go by (she has a $ for the s in her username), then she is living the good life — working with Beyonce, attending the Formula One or standing in front of a van in some lush furry coat. Like directing, the essence of a choreographer is telling people what to do and embracing the new. Steven Adams Rotorua-born NBA player Steven Adams no doubt has presence at a towering 211cm (6ft 11in), helping him secure a $US39 million ($NZ65m) deal with the Houston Rockets this year. That is some nice money to live a good life, although a lot of photos on his Instagram account are of his dog, a Belgian malinois, which he describes as a small German shepherd, so not exactly a designer dog. In 2024, he finished second in team-mate of the year voting, with superstar Steph Curry in the first spot, so let's assume a bunch of really tall guys listen when Adams speaks. Te Aorere Pewhairangi The social media star and te reo Māori and tikanga consultant has some influence. He learned his te reo Māori through a full-immersion school. It landed him the prized gig of te reo commentator for the All Blacks during the 2023 Rugby World Cup. When he is not filming hilarious social media content with former boxer Mike Tyson in Las Vegas, he is knee deep in community advocacy and adventure. Case in point was his 12-day walk in 2023 along State Highway35 to raise funds and awareness for the Gisborne region after it was devastated a month earlier by Cyclone Gabrielle. Lorde While we are in Lorde overload right now following a months-long build-up to her new album, Virgin — it reached No 1 on the UK and US charts — it would be ignorant not to mention her in this list. After all, David Bowie called her "the future of music". She breaks barriers with her art, and Virgin shows her openness to new sounds and new ideas such as using psychedelic drugs as therapy. Attending the Met Gala in New York in a custom Thom Browne design gets you instant hedonistic status. Honorary mentions Tayi Tibble: The poet was crowned an "It Girl" by the New York Times in 2024. Winston Peters: The well-groomed politician had an adventurous start to his working life as a tunneler on a hydro-electric construction project in Australia. Arguably, he hits all the markers of being cool, according to the research. Jujulips: The South African-born, Auckland-raised hip-hop artist is also on her way to becoming a style icon. Peter Thiel: One of the original tech bros, the American billionaire is a mirror of Elon Musk (they were key figures in forming PayPal), and Thiel got his New Zealand citizenship in 2011. Anna Mowbray: The entrepreneur moved to China to work on the toy company ZURU with her brothers. The wealth generated from that venture resulted in a recent and very hedonistic — and controversial — application to have a helipad built on her inner-city Auckland property. Dai Henwood: The comedian and New Zealand household name has made us laugh and cry for decades, even while in the midst of treatment for stage 4 cancer. The checklist Recent research showed cool people tend to have the following traits.— • Extroverted. • Hedonistic. • Powerful. • Adventurous. • Open. • Autonomous.
