Calgary police are actively investigating complaints of “clearly disturbing” behaviour after an outcry from social media users over a Twitter account that posted hundreds of photos and videos of women in downtown Calgary.
The issue? The camera focused on women’s breasts, buttocks and other body parts and appear to be taken without the women’s knowledge or consent.
One caption reads, “Look at those puppies bounce” and another says, “Smokin’ hot see-through dress.”
“The person who’s responsible for the photos and videos would be classified as voyeurism activity,” Staff Sgt. Cory Dayley of the Calgary Police Service cyber/forensics unit said. “Taking hidden or surreptitious video without people’s consent or knowledge where there’s that expectation of privacy around them or underneath their clothing.”
Voyeurism is punishable under the Criminal Code of Canada. Dayley said penalties would depend on the charges laid once a suspect is identified. Officers will also have to determine who was taking the photos and videos, and whether that’s the same person who was sharing the material online.
The account—brought to the attention of CPS late Monday night—had about 17,000 followers and was active for almost a year before it was permanently suspended Tuesday morning.
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“What’s extremely alarming to me personally is that this amount of content is out there and that it’s become this much of a social norm for people to not only see it, but just to bypass it in their everyday searches online,” Dayley said.
“The behaviour that we’ve seen, that’s been reported to us last night and early today, is clearly disturbing. It’s morally and ethically wrong.”
Calgary’s CTrain stations and the Plus-15 above-ground pathway system were seen as backgrounds in many of the photos. Some women appear to have been captured during the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.
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Dayley said over 10 voyeurism offences have been documented so far in the case.
“Although all seem to be compiled into one social media platform or forum, we’re looking at each case individually and working to identify those victims.”
He said it would take about 30 days to retrieve online posts related to the case.
“When it comes down to it, the brass tacks are: this behaviour is criminal and it will be investigated and people will be held accountable.”
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