About three days ago, most of us wouldn’t have had much notion what upskirting was; now we are, I think, all very alive to the reality that there are creeps, pervs and predators who like to put their mobile phones up women’s skirts or dresses and take pictures of their crotch. And I think we are all at one in considering this is an outrageous thing to do. Nem con, so far, I’d say. Mrs May, for her part, has made clear that she’s very down on this sort of thing too, which is always nice to know.
The question is not whether upskirting is gross; it’s whether it requires an entirely new criminal offence, potentially punishable by two years’ imprisonment and/or a place on the Sex Offenders register, or whether the existing laws will cover it. And if it does call for an entirely new offence, as in Scotland, whether this should go through on the nod, without debate, in a private member’s bill, or whether the Commons should, you know, do its job and have a look at it.
There is, besides, another question altogether, which is whether the purpose of the law is as an exercise in moral grandstanding – sort of public virtue ventilating – or whether it is something altogether more sober.
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