This post is part of the series abuse of authority
This post is part of the series molest
This post is part of the series school
This post is part of the series secondary school
This post is part of the series teacher
This post is part of the series underage
This post is part of the series voilated
TL;DR – With more cases of upskirt photos taken in schools, what can we do to protect ourselves?
Channel News Asia reported today that a secondary school discipline master took over 100 upskirt videos of teachers and students.
He took 12 upskirt videos of at least seven female students who were invited into the discipline room.
Justice will be served to this 49-year-old married man with three children. He pleaded guilty on Friday (Sep 2) to three charges of insulting a woman’s modesty. Another five charges will be taken into consideration for sentencing.
Background story
The man worked at the school for 14 years, teaching Mandarin, and he was the discipline master since 2015.
He invited female colleagues wearing skirts or dresses but not those wearing pants and seldom invited male teachers to his workstation for data entry purposes. His handphone would be placed under the victim’s skirt while the victim was keying the data at his desk.
Ran out of luck
He carried on with his actions until July 2018, when a female teacher at the school filed a police report, saying she suspected the accused had been taking upskirt videos of teachers including herself.
Mental health as an excuse?
After the man lost his mother in 2015, he suffered from a major depressive disorder. It was during the time he started committing the offences. His wife also underwent surgery for medical ailments in 2016, after which their frequency of sexual intimacy “drastically diminished.”
“However, while these factors invite some sympathy, they do not excuse the accused’s conduct,” said the prosecutor.
The judge noted the accused’s mental conditions at the time and that there is a contributory link to his offending behaviour.
What should we do?
With more of such cases happening, what should we do to protect ourselves? I know of some girls in schools wearing shorts under their skirts. Should this be a thing for all girls?
While these photos are surreptitiously taken, we should try to be more alert to our surroundings.
Make your voice known
If you have been violated, don’t be afraid to seek help or report it. Keep safe ladies!
Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim says schools should start at a later time so students can sleep longer