Imagine heading into a changing room at your local pool or gym, expecting privacy, only to find out later that someone may have been secretly recording you.
That horrifying possibility is now being addressed with new government measures aimed at stamping out the misuse of hidden cameras—especially when used to violate people’s intimate spaces.
Hidden Cameras Like Pens and Water Bottles Will Now Be Criminalized
Under the new crackdown, it will officially become a crime to install or modify hidden cameras, even if no pictures are actually taken.
Devices disguised as everyday objects—like pens, buttons, or even water bottles—have increasingly been used to secretly capture intimate photos without a person’s knowledge or consent.
The new law will make these tactics completely illegal, focusing on protecting victims from the moment of intent, not just the act of taking a picture.
Surge in Reports From Women Sparks Action
This shift in policy is largely in response to a spike in disturbing reports, particularly from women using mixed-sex changing rooms.
Many have bravely come forward saying they were secretly recorded while undressing.
The Times recently highlighted this worrying trend, and officials say it’s time for the law to catch up with the technology that’s enabling it.
Minister Speaks Out on Protecting Women and Girls
Alex Davies-Jones, the Minister for Women and Female Violence, voiced deep concern over these violations.
She said women and girls are being “humiliated and degraded for the sick pleasure of certain men,” and she’s committed to ensuring the law offers stronger protection.
A Shocking Case That Triggered Deeper Reform
One particularly horrific case in France pushed lawmakers to act faster.
Gisele Pelicot, a French woman, was the victim of her own husband, Dominique, who was found guilty of drugging her and facilitating her rape by dozens of men.
The police initially caught him “upskirting” women in a supermarket using a concealed camera.
That led to the discovery of his broader crimes through footage on his phone—highlighting just how easily this technology can be used to commit devastating acts.
The Law Is Catching Up With Modern Tech
Davies-Jones explained that with smartphones and cheap, easy-to-find pinhole cameras, it’s now easier than ever for predators to secretly record victims.
What might seem like a tiny device could have lifelong psychological consequences for the people being filmed without their knowledge.
A New Crime Bill Aims to Close the Loopholes
These new rules are part of the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, and they’re designed to tighten every possible legal gap.
Currently, it’s only considered a crime to take intimate photos if the person doing it is trying to get sexual gratification.
But what if they just want to embarrass or humiliate someone? That wasn’t punishable under the old law—but it soon will be.
It Won’t Just Be About the Act—Planning Will Be a Crime Too
Here’s another major shift: just preparing or installing voyeuristic equipment with the intent of taking intimate images will also be criminalized.
That means even if no photo is taken, if someone is caught setting up the equipment, they could still face prosecution.
Reports of Voyeurism Have Doubled in a Decade
This is not a small problem. The latest stats show that as of September last year, over 15,000 incidents of exposure and voyeurism had been reported—up 17% from the year before, and more than double what it was in 2008.
The numbers paint a stark picture of just how urgent this issue has become.
A Message to Victims: You Deserve to Feel Safe
At the heart of these reforms is a simple truth: no one should ever have to worry about being secretly recorded while undressing, changing, or simply existing in private spaces.
The government hopes these tighter rules will finally give victims the protection and justice they deserve.