Media representations of camera sexual voyeurism in Singapore: a medicalised, externalised and community problem

Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women in Singapore: Key Considerations

“…Despite this, recent research, court/news reports, and reports from a local women's organization demonstrate that IBA, such as CSV and threats to distribute intimate images, has become a prominent issue in Singapore (AWARE, 2019a;Vitis, 2020a). Since 2004, men across Singapore have been prosecuted for using phones and spy cameras to record underneath women's clothes in public spaces like Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations and shopping centers (Vitis, 2020). This practice, referred to as "upskirting," 4 has also been recognized by Singaporean police, who have reported a rise in "insult of modesty" cases, 5 from 571 in 2013 to 629 in 2016 (Chong, 2015).…”

“…This is particularly evident in the media/online discourse on IBA. For instance, my examination of the Straits Times' coverage of "upskirting" cases found that while "upskirting" was roundly condemned, the media discourse did not contextualize CSV in relation to VAW (Vitis, 2020). Similarly, research examining public responses to the Monica Baey case on popular online message boards has shown that while there was widespread condemnation of the perpetrator, there was less overt recognition of this case as part of the wider continuum of sexual VAW (Vitis, Naegler, & Ahmad Salehin, 2019).…”

‘This is not a case of gender inequality. This is a case of injustice’: Perceptions of online resistance to camera sexual voyeurism

“…In Singapore, both the issue of camera sexual voyeurism and the use of short-term jail sentences for perpetrators (particularly those caught in public) are well publicised (Vitis, 2020). An increasing number of men have been prosecuted for camera sexual voyeurism in the State Courts (Vitis, 2020).…”

“…In Singapore, both the issue of camera sexual voyeurism and the use of short-term jail sentences for perpetrators (particularly those caught in public) are well publicised (Vitis, 2020). An increasing number of men have been prosecuted for camera sexual voyeurism in the State Courts (Vitis, 2020). There have been extensive reports of these cases in the main broadsheet newspaper Straits Times and many have occurred in shared public spaces like MRT stations, shopping centres and supermarkets (Vitis, 2020).…”

“…An increasing number of men have been prosecuted for camera sexual voyeurism in the State Courts (Vitis, 2020). There have been extensive reports of these cases in the main broadsheet newspaper Straits Times and many have occurred in shared public spaces like MRT stations, shopping centres and supermarkets (Vitis, 2020). This was clear in the comments, as users were primarily concerned that others had received short term jail sentences for similar actions: indeed strange.…”