Well, I had heard about it in forwarded emails and word of mouth, but really didn’t think about it much. After all, I’m middle-aged with graying hair, average looks, and a bit over weight, why would I have to worry about such a thing? Why, indeed.
I was in Jo-Ann Fabrics looking at some notions, making the all important decision as to what I needed for my next craft project. My sister had been with me, but moved on to help my daughter pick out a pattern. There was another person in the isle, a man, but I didn’t think about it too much… until…
I was in deep thought and something lightly bumped my knee. I adjusted my purse only to realize that it was a shoulder bag and the realization hit me that I wasn’t carrying anything that could have possibly bumped my knee. I immediately looked around and the man was several feet away from me, with his back to me, adjusting his hands in his pockets.
I had just become a victim of what is termed “upskirt”. This is a disgusting practice in which men use their cell phone camera to take pictures by holding the camera below her skirt without her knowing about it, usually in a public setting.
I looked the man over and realized that I would never have suspected him of doing anything so vulgar. He was rather non-descriptive individual in his early to mid-30′s with short brown hair, clean shaven, shorts and sweater folded over his shoulders in a manner that is not common for lower and middle income men. This was a man who came from a family in a higher income bracket.
I considered making a scene, having the store managers call in the police and have him arrested. It occurred to me that I had zero proof that he did anything wrong. I had seen no cell phone and was going on nothing but a weird brush against my leg. Plus, by the time the police got there, he could easily delete any evidence from his phone and there I’d be looking like a damn fool, accusing an “innocent” bystander.
In truth, had I been wearing a real skirt, I’d have been even more furious, and would likely have made a scene just to ensure that the pictures were deleted, even if it made me look like an idiot. Damn if I wanted my chunky rear splattered all over the internet. However, I was wearing a skort. This particular skort is very feminine with an abstract cotton print and is very convincingly a 21-1/2″ skirt. However, it is really a pair of very comfortable shorts. In fact, I have even driven motorcycle in this particular skort.
This ridiculous, ignorant thug only got a picture of a very pretty pair of shorts. But if my skirt had not been a skort, I would have been in a very awkward predicament. I would have had to raise a scene to ensure that unwanted pictures of me did not end up on the internet, just because I had decided to go to a public place wearing a skirt and some ignorant creep decided I was fair game.
My recommendation after coming face-to-face with this childish practice is that no matter how unlikely you think you’d be a targeted, it is a crime of opportunity. If you’re in a skirt and the opportunity presents itself, you’ll be targeted.
This is a hard crime to prove happened, because the evidence can be erased easily if the authorities are contacted. Prevention is the easiest way to not become a victim.
Wear skorts or shorts under your skirts. Don’t be in an isle alone with an unfamiliar man. While that may not always be prevented, angle yourself so you can see him out of the corner of your eye, if he moves towards you in a suspicious manner, turn towards him and look him sternly right in the eye. He’s a coward of the shadows; he will move on to easier prey.
If you do think you’ve been targeted and are at risk, go ahead and contact the store authorities, and they’ll call the police. Understand that he’ll probably erase the pictures off his phone before they get there, but it would be worth it to ensure they don’t end up on the internet. If he did upload them (many phones now have internet connections), they should be able to do an investigation and find proof positive to convict him.
You may want to think about what you will do if you ever become a target of this crime. I really had never thought about it, because I didn’t believe I’d ever be a victimized. Honestly, I had no idea what to do. If I had made a plan before hand, I think I would have handled the situation differently. More importantly, I would have recognized that I was at risk and taken precautionary measures. So think about it, discuss it with your daughters and granddaughters. They should be made aware of the risks and what they should do if they become a victim of this disgusting crime.
