Laura Whitmore has called for upskirting to be made a criminal offence, and she wants the media outlets who publish the images held accountable for their “degrading” actions as well as the photographers.
Upskirting is when the paparazzi take photos up women’s dresses and skirts. The resulting photos frequently show women’s intimate areas or underwear.
She posted a series of tweets after sharing an article about a man getting arrested for upskirting in the US and highlighted that how practice was widely accepted in the UK saying, “what’s worse in the UK he could get paid by a paper and they’d be printed shaming the woman.”
The actress tweeted her frustration at the practice which is widely accepted by the press saying, “The petition calling for “upskirting” to be added to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 has been backed by nearly 100,000 people across the UK…”
The petition calling for “upskirting” to be added to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 has been backed by nearly 100,000 people across the UK…
— Laura Whitmore (@thewhitmore) May 27, 2018
Progress is being made on the issue as she tweeted, “The bill will get a second reading on June 15th to make #upskirtingillegal”
The bill will get a second reading on June 15th to make #upskirtingillegal
— Laura Whitmore (@thewhitmore) May 27, 2018
Her final tweet on the subject reads, “Upskirting should be a criminal offence and not supported by our media outlets. It’s is a violation of privacy and degrading of women.”
Upskirting should be a criminal offence and not supported by our media outlets. It’s is a violation of privacy and degrading of women
— Laura Whitmore (@thewhitmore) May 27, 2018
Upskirting is a major issue in the UK and many of Laura’s fellow TV presenters have called for an end to it before.
The TV presenter is based in London but has been very vocal about women’s rights causes both in Ireland and in the U.K. over the last few months. She shared her own story of sexual harassment as part of the #MeToo movement, campaigned for the 8th amendment to be repealed and shared her support for the woman at the centre of the Belfast Rape trial posting #IBelieveHer messages on social media.
This week Lily Allen went viral for using an upskirting photo of herself, taken at one of her gigs, to be proud of her vagina and promote her new album titled ‘No Shame.’
