A man from Bradford has been arrested following the sharing online of footage of women filmed while on nights out in Manchester and Liverpool, without their knowledge. The films, which have received millions of views on apps including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, typically carried titles such as “Manchester nightlife” or “Liverpool nightlife”. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said that other content, including footage of “suspected non-consensual nudity and upskirting” had also been found during its inquiry. The 27-year-old arrested on suspicion of stalking and harassment is the first to be detained in relation to the practice, according to the force.
Many women impacted by the posting of such footage have come forward since GMP appealed for information. One woman, aged 23, told the BBC that she discovered footage of herself walking along Manchester’s Deansgate after receiving a link to one of the videos. “I have no words really other than it just made me feel a bit sick,” she said. GMP warned that while public filming is legal, it becomes punishable when it “crosses the line” into offending acts such as stalking or harassment. Women’s rights groups welcomed the arrest, and warned of links between the sharing of such videos and the rise of “gendered violence”.
One organisation, the Centre for Women’s Justice, said that social media makes it easier to share and view images of women without their consent. Spokesperson Claire Waxman suggested that such sharing was linked to the rise of “violence against women and girls” (VAWG), as seen in recent data showing a 51% rise in domestic homicides in England and Wales during the initial UK coronavirus lockdown. Police response to VAWG has been criticised, most notably in relation to murdered Londoner Sarah Everard. A planned parliamentary debate on the issue this week was cancelled. However, Boris Johnson pledged yesterday to introduce a law recognising street harassment as a crime
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