Incident at the Air...
 

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[Closed] Incident at the Airport - think I handled badly - what would you have done?

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Warning could be a long read - it needs detail to describe to what happened. This happened around a week ago, and it's been gnawing away at me as I (now) feel that I didn't do the right thing. I probably won't say right now what I did as it might cloud the discussion but I'd be interested in hearing the forum's views.

I was at Toulouse airport with mrs DD and dd and while they were having a €10 sandwich, I headed for the loos. For those that don't know the departures area at Toulouse, there are shops, cafes etc down either side with bunches of seats in the middle. A reasonably pleasant set-up designed to fleece you of your final few Euros. As I approached one cluster of seats, I could see a chap sat with his phone held up in front of him. He had his back to me. As often happens, one gets distracted by a moving image on somebody's phone, and as I got closer, I could see he had it on camera setting. It was around the size of an iPhoneX I guess, not quite phablet but a pretty big screen. Sat directly across from him was a family - mum, dad, what I assume was grandma, young lad of around 10 I guess and a daughter I'd guess to be in her mid-teens - maybe fifteen at the most - wearing a pretty short skirt. And the reason I could see that the skirt was pretty short was on the screen of this guy's phone, he was pinch zooming in on the top of her skirt. The family was obviously getting themselves ready to move on, the girl's skirt had ridden up her legs quite a bit as she was getting out of the seat. I couldn't quite believe the blatancy of what he was doing - but I guess to anyone on the other side of the camera, it might have looked like he was playing a game, face-timing etc. It looked pretty clear this was an "upskirting" attempt - and the first time I'd ever witnessed it being done. From what I describe, is there any possible innocent angle to this?

As I passed him, and this was my first mistake, I looked at him - probably disapprovingly, I dunno - but I felt at that instance there was a "I know what you were doing..." look from me and a "I can see that you know what I was doing..." look from him. I had to skirt the outside of the seating area for quite a bit before getting to the loo - I looked back at him quite a few times - each time he was looking directly at me - not even sheepishly. By the time I walked back, the family had moved into the concourse and were getting themselves sorted. I could hear they were an English speaking family. He'd put his phone on his lap, but yep, he looked directly at me a few times again.

Obviously, not having any need to know, I have no idea what French law is on this one - the Tory fella filibustering the private member's bill in the HoC last year (I think?) came to mind. I didn't have a clue what to do.

I felt an amount of revulsion - and (you have to take my word for it...) I'm not a tabloid-stranger-danger-there's-a-paedo-on-every-street type - but this just felt really wrong and invasive. I went back to my own family and told mrs DD what had happened. I'll say what I did later, but I'd be interested in others' views as to what they'd do next in the situation.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:01 am
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Sorry but this is no fun if you don't tell us what you did.

Being reasonable, either a quiet word with the family in question or pointing the guy out to airport security are probably the right options.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:12 am
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I think I'd have had a quiet word with the parents and left them to deal with it. Or look around for a member of the Security staff.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:12 am
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I'd like to think I would have mentioned it to the parents and/or security, though I'm not aware of the law over there.

As the dad of a teenage girl prone to wearing short skirts, I'm not sure how well I'd react if someone came up and told me this though.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:19 am
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Sorry but this is no fun if you don’t tell us what you did.

Fair comment - I just thought maybe that would become the discussion more than what would be the right thing to do, but as I said, fair enough. So...and I'm not looking to have any "fun" but...

I think I’d have had a quiet word with the parents and left them to deal with it.

...is what I did. And the thing is, what makes me feel bad about it, is that the whole family listened to what I told the dad. And I feel like I ruined the end of their holiday - I know I didn't do anything against the law, but really, was there any point in them knowing? I should have sat down and thought it through for a few minutes and perhaps try to get the dad on his own for a quiet word, etc. I have a feeling that the upskirter had probably deleted any photos he may have taken - so going to security or the bizzies would have been useless and caused a massive kerfuffle. But then, who cares if there's a kerfuffle? The guy deserved, at least, a kerfuffle didn't he?


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:20 am
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I’m not a tabloid-stranger-danger-there’s-a-paedo-on-every-street type

I am. A bit.

Mostly because of the convicted paedo who lives two doors down in my street.

I'd have immediately grassed him to the nearest po-po.

I have no idea what French law is on this one

Bet the French cops do though. At the very least it might have earned him a vigorous anal probing before he got on his flight.  He deserved that at least.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:20 am
 tomd
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I'm going to guess you
1) told the security staff you saw this guy watching some ISIS vidoes while muttering about bombs and stuff
2) the airport went into lockdown. The guy got dragged off to Guantanamo
3) You've been hailed as a modern day Smeato by the local media
4) All the attention and the fact the guy will be rotting for etternity is making you feel guilty

Nah but seriously, I'd have told the family or a nearby security bod. Sounds bang out of order.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:23 am
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As the dad of a teenage girl prone to wearing short skirts, I’m not sure how well I’d react if someone came up and told me this though.

Yep, something else that only crossed my mind later - he didn't look the type to over-react, but then not "looking the type" is no pointer to how someone might react.

This is like one of those "Someone said something really shitty to me and it was only an hour later I thought of all the best things to say..." moments for me. Only, this just feels a lot more serious and I have no idea how the family or daughter felt after what was an instinctive reaction by me.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:24 am
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I'd like to think i'd go have a quiet word with the family and then offer to go with them to security.
Even if the family didn't want to make a fuss I'd probably want to raise the attention of the security/gendarmes


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:24 am
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On my own, I'd have found a security guard and pointed out the bloke with the phone and explained what had happened - it wouldn't need the victim to be aware of it.

Even if he'd deleted the pics (and I doubt this was his first offence so there would probably be others) an hour or so explaining himself might have prevented a repeat.

If my wife had been there she'd have just shouted at him for being a perving peado and it would have escalated quickly from there.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:27 am
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The guy deserved, at least, a kerfuffle didn’t he?

Yes.  And thats how I would have reacted.  I'd have told just the Dad though and acted with him as a referee if he confronted said peado stranger.   Although the guy deserves a bloody nose, no one wants offended Dad to be arrested for assault by the French police but he should be allowed to call the guy out.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:28 am
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Sigh*...all the best solutions are in hindsight. I feel well ****ed off about the whole thing - there were a few other much better solutions!

*That's a self-directed sigh. :o(


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:31 am
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Tricky. There's an argument to say that you shouldn't alert the family - they would never know otherwise, but if they did it could be quite damaging. After all, there's no doubt that people are thinking these things in the privacy of their own heads, and surely you wouldn't want to know?

Obviously not condoning any of this but it's an interesting philosophical question.

As to what I would have done - hard to know what could have been done productively. If I knew the law I might've alerted airport security. But my holiday French is not good enough to present an allegation. Talking to the perv directly - what's that going to achieve? He already knows you know, and he's not going to moderate his behaviour - why would he? If you try to take his phone or something, you'll end up in more trouble than him.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:33 am
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I feel well **** off about the whole thing

You shouldn't.

You did something.

Which is a shitload better than what most people would have done in reality, which is nothing....... other than go back to their own family and point out the dirty bastard across the room before carrying on with their holiday.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:34 am
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Fair comment – I just thought maybe that would become the discussion more than what would be the right thing to do, but as I said, fair enough. So…and I’m not looking to have any “fun” but

Well I'll admit I was hoping you started a brawl in an airport, but I don't think you need to feel bad about this. That's on the pervert with the camera.

Maybe you could have taken the parents aside but it's always going to an awkward conversation to have.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:34 am
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At least you did something. Lots of people would've done nothing. There's always going to be a better option in hindsight so don't beat yourself up too much


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:34 am
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DD - At least you did something about it, don't beat yourself up, I'd hate to be in that situation


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:35 am
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I feel well **** off about the whole thing – there were a few other much better solutions!

Hey, at least you did something, many wouldn't. Feel good that at least one situation was prevented from escalating.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:35 am
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Could have videoed him videoing her, then put it online. See how he likes it.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:35 am
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On my own, I’d have found a security guard and pointed out the bloke with the phone and explained what had happened – it wouldn’t need the victim to be aware of it.

This, as it's for the security services to deal with.

I wouldn't have had a chat with the family unless the perpetrator was overtly aggressive with the "filming" In which case I would have done, but surreptitiously taking pics is more covert and therefore only the security folks should be interested.

IMO.

Ya did well keeping fairly schtum without causing a proper raucous event that could have had you in the arms of the security, should the perpetrator been so inclined...


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:35 am
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Which is a shitload better than what most people would have done in reality, which is nothing

I'm not convinced it is better tbh.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:36 am
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Also at least the family found out from someone trying to do the right thing, and not from the picture making the rounds on pr0n sites


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:36 am
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I think I would have found a couple of Les Flics and told them. I don't think I wouldve told the family.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:38 am
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I’m not convinced it is better tbh.

I'll wager it gave the perv at least a moment of twitchy arsehole, self reflection and guilt whilst he waited to see what the Dad did next.

That's gotta be worth something.

As a parent of a 15 year old daughter, I'd want someone to tell me if that was happening.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:39 am
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I would gently photobomb the obvious ones on South Korean trains...but there were so many it becomes impossible. They also just don't care.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:41 am
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Apologies and thanks for the posts folks. It's not an attempt at validation from the herd, believe me. As I said, it's been on my mind a lot - and it's encouraged me to do what I'd always advise anyone else to do - just stop and ****ing think about it for a minute rather than acting on the hoof. My french would have been good enough to explain what had happened to a bizzie - but y'know, I was like, hmm, let's shift it all onto the dad and let him decide. I don't remember thinking that at the time, but maybe sub-consciously that's what I was doing.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:41 am
 DezB
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Totally agree with molgrips there. Girl didn't come to any harm, so why tell the family?
Moral is, don't look at other people's phone screens!
Seriously though, yeah, you did the best you could under the circumstances, no point beating yourself up (no pun intended) about it. I think, personally, I would've left it at Mr Perv knowing I knew.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:41 am
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I would've probably done what you did.

With more thought, telling security might be a better option. You say he had probably deleted them but I would be surprised if he had deleted all similar pictures that he had, and my phone certainly retains pictures for a bit in case you've deleted them by accident.

I know France doesn't have quite the same attitude to these things, but I'd hope nevertheless that such behavior would be unacceptable.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:42 am
 DezB
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Or, stand behind him shouting "WHAT ARE YOU FILMING??!"


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:42 am
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Re comments on better not to tell them, would you want to know if someone had a hidden camera in your bathroom for example? The girl was in her teens, she's old enough to understand what's going on.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:44 am
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I had a similar experience several years ago, and how I failed to handle it well still plays on my mind occasionally.

I was in a cafe with my wife, our daughter and my wife's aunt. As we were getting ready to leave my wife was bent over rummaging in a bag and I could see the bloke at the next table was holding his phone (8-9 years ago, I think it was prob pre-smartphone model) oddly under his table and peering at the screen at the same time - the phone was pointed directly at MrsVs arse.
It's not quite the same scenario as MrsV isn't/wasn't early/mid teens and had jeans on rather than a skirt.

Not wanting to upset my family I didn't mention it and we all walked out, I then made an excuse and went back inside. I walked up to the bloke and told him I knew what he'd been doing and that he had to delete any photos/videos there and then. Where I went wrong.... I then walked out without saying anything else, or waiting for him to delete them.

When I was talking to him, the bloke looked scared (I'm not even remotely intimidating) and he didn't attempt to deny anything, but I could feel I was on the verge of loosing my calm and getting into a situation I'd regret.

By not waiting for him to delete them, all I suspect I've done is given him an added edge of excitement and danger to those photos...

I've also never mentioned this to MrsV, not because I think I failed in how I handled it, more because I think it would upset her to think that it had happened and it was at a location she likes and it would taint it for her.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:44 am
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Hard to say what anyone would do in one of those situations, really...

Depending on where he was/where this family was sitting etc. I perhaps would have tried to put myself between the blokes camera & this girl.
No need to obviously leap in front of the camera with a coat out-stretched to protect her modesty; just wander over to cover the line of sight and then find some reason to hover there while checking phone/looking for passport, getting something out of a bag until the family had got up & moved on.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:49 am
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Girl didn’t come to any harm

Until some kid at school recognises her on some dodgy website and sends a video round all his mates at school.....


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:51 am
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Tricky one, I probably wouldn't have done anything unless I could video him videoing first as otherwise there would likely be no evidence so if it went further (e.g. family of the girl complained to security) than just having a word with the father you could have ended up in a situation you'd been involved in some investigation you couldn't contribute more than a statement to but might have ended up missing your flight over (OK, probably unlikely but also unlikely to have ended up with the guy being held to account).


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:52 am
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I have a feeling that , no matter what action any of the players in this drama had actually taken ,  the closing scene would always have been  some Gendarme sparking up a Gauloises and shrugging.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:54 am
 hels
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What did the dad do ?

I know what I would have done - probably the wrong thing - spoken to the pervert in question loudly so everybody could hear - are you filming that young women ??

But then coming from a 150cm female person this might not have been so confrontational.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 11:57 am
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What he did isn't a crime in France. It was in a public place, at a distance and she was in a group. The family could only take a civil action if he published a recognisable picture of the girl alone without her family around her.

http://www.avocat-bernardi.fr/protection-de-la-vie-privee-droit-a-image/

France perhaps needs a law against up-skirting but doesn't have one yet, and I'm not sure your incident would fall within the scope of such a law. He was filming what was going on around him at a distance. Is anyone who films a femen rally, people sunbathing or kids playing breaking the law? Not in Toulouse.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:03 pm
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Go in front of the camera bend down and tie your laces for 15 minutes or so. Then turn and smile at him.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:05 pm
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Not in Toulouse.

....and , with that, the Gendarme lit his cigarette and shrugged.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:05 pm
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There isnt a "manual" in how you deal with these things and with the greatest respect DD you are over thinking it but you come across as a top bloke so it doesn't surprise me 🙂

Verses I also think you handled that quite well. I would have punched somebody for that.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:08 pm
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What I'd have done is spoken to security. Or rather, that's what I'd have wanted to do with the benefit of hindsight, whether I'd have had the presence of mind to actually do so when put on the spot I have no idea. As others of said though you did something at least, which is more than a lot of people would have done.

That or yell "why are you photographing that young woman's knickers?!" in a big loud voice I suppose.

From what I describe, is there any possible innocent angle to this?

I'm not seeing one.

I have no idea what French law is on this one – the Tory fella filibustering the private member’s bill in the HoC last year (I think?) came to mind.

That was Christopher Chope, and he's notorious for doing it. His MO is to object to ANY private members' bills that he sees as being rushed through parliament without proper discussion and scrutiny. I believe that particular bill was passed at a later date, so it's in English law now at least.

This is like one of those “Someone said something really shitty to me and it was only an hour later I thought of all the best things to say…” moments for me.

You were in the right place, the French have a term for this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27esprit_de_l%27escalier


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:15 pm
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Verses I also think you handled that quite well. I would have punched somebody for that.

We know you wouldn't because you're a wimp really, but if you had you'd have missed your flight and been held in custody until your comparution immédiate. 🙂


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:15 pm
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Until some kid at school recognises her on some dodgy website and sends a video round all his mates at school…..

... from an upskirt shot? What sort of school did you go to?!


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:18 pm
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Classic esprit d'escalier.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:19 pm
 DezB
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I would have punched somebody for that

Knocking the phone out of their hand would be a better idea.

… from an upskirt shot? What sort of school did you go to?!

Not one in the internet age 😉


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:22 pm
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I think the OP did the only thing he could of done.

I'm not sure what security or even the police for matter, could of done?

If a security guard at an airport asked to see my phone I would tell him to **** off.

I'm pretty certain, in the UK, the police can't just demand to see your phone, from just a single accusation from a random member of the public.

My phone has nothing dodgy on it but it has my work email on it, which has confidential, commercial information on it. I would be committing gross misconduct if I released it to some security guard.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:22 pm
 MSP
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Until some kid at school recognises her on some dodgy website and sends a video round all his mates at school…..

I don't think that is a realistic scenereo, what is perhaps more realistic IMO is that when offenders get away with such low level crimes then they perhaps seek to go further for their kicks, which would be genuinely worrying.

A quick google suggests that it is an offence with up t a 2 year jail term in France.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/23/france-introduces-upskiting-law-inspired-stalled-british-efforts/

I think the best course of action would be to alert security, and thanks to this thread I actually now have a "plan of action" should I ever see any such incident, so chapeau DD for bringing it up.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:24 pm
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I'm not sure I would have eyeballed the up-skirter if I'm honest, but discretely informing the Girl and/or her Dad would probably have been my own instinct... Like you I also would have run it past the missus first, a woman's perspective is worth it as being honest, I can never quite gauge if I'm over or under reacting to stuff like this sometimes.

I think the problem is that to some extent they rely on people being uncomfortable with direct confrontation and the little staring match you describe was probably the most nerve wracking bit for the little shit, knowing He'd been spotted, wondering if it was going to end with you informing the girl/family or just a few glares...

All in all I think you did the right thing OP and certainly shouldn't beat yourself up.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:34 pm
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Personally - I'd have made a fuss there and then as long as I was sure what I'd seen.
Certainly made sure I was in front of him so his view stopped.
TBH - if I was sure then he wouldn't have his phone to be in a position to be deleting any pics but then the bit in most people's brains that makes you go "what if" doesn't exist. It would be being handed to the police.
But thats just me.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:50 pm
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I'm surprised by the way people are refering to this as "up-skirting". Sexual harrasment is bad and there are laws against it. But that requires some kind of action beyond sitting on a bench and watching what's going on around you at a distance on a phone screen. Sexual harrassment requires intrusion of someone's private space. Secretly filming up a woman's skirt on a metro in close proximity by slipping the camera under the skirt is sexual harrassment and illegal. Filming Kate Middleton at a distance as her skirt flies in the wind clearly not even in the UK or the tabloids would have had to take down the images.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:52 pm
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I’m surprised by the way people are refering to this as “up-skirting”.

Why?

He wasn't filming a general airport scene......He was zoomed in purely on the girls skirt.

It's all about the intent and, from the OP's description it's hard to ascribe any other intent.

If that's not upskirting, then what was it?


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:55 pm
 Mat
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I feel for you OP I know that sense of frustration/regret. Thinking about it here maybe trying to get pictures of the guy and what was on his phone (over his shoulder) then going to the police/security. That seems like the best hope of getting him 'legitimately' strung up. I'd be torn as you are though for the girls sake, I'd imagine the confrontation/attention would be quite distressing and wonder if ignorance is bliss.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 12:57 pm
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Totally agree with molgrips there. Girl didn’t come to any harm, so why tell the family?

I imagine a significant amount of peados are wackimg off to pics of kids that probably didn't involve any abuse or harm. But it's still child pornography!!! (I'm not going to Google what the different gradings of child filth are for obvious reasons)


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 1:05 pm
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^ stupid quote function..why does it put my comments in quotes and not the bit I'm trying to quote...! Then not let me edit.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 1:08 pm
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If that’s not upskirting, then what was it?

Well, quite!

The family was sat in a cluster of seats, and our perp was sat, at a conservative guess, not more than 3 or 4 metres from them, on his own at another cluster. There was no one between him and the family. I found a picture of Toulouse departures very similar to the area in which they were all sitting. Imagine the family sat where the circle is and our perp sat where the arrow points. These were not the exact seats but this is representative of how close he was to them.

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/xjyf9cp9/7-C50-E444-E72-E-4-BCF-8-B2-B-E6-F0774-AA778.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/xjyf9cp9/7-C50-E444-E72-E-4-BCF-8-B2-B-E6-F0774-AA778.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

It’s why I mentioned in my OP that I couldn’t quite get how blatant it was. But, and again, you only have my word on this one, as I approached, he pinch zoomed until it was the daughter’s hemline in the image on his screen.

So as our favourite panther says, if not, then what? Genuine question.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 1:17 pm
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Personally I would have done either:
1) Dobbed in to security after they had moved on.
2) Nothing. My experience of being a good Samaritan in controversial cases is that no good deed goes unpunished. Whilst the doer is sick and needs to be found out for society and his own sake, in this instance the girl and family were unharmed until you told them.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 1:24 pm
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Something else that's not upskirting, perchypanther, because the phone was several meters from the skirt (thanks for the image and your estimate of 3-4m, DD) not up the skirt, held in front of the photographers face and the view was also there for everyone one in the public space to see if they looked in that direction.

I do find the views on this forum extreme sometimes. Comments about dark sun glasses for the beach so as to observe scantily-dressed women without it being obvious are humourous to some (I don't wear sun glasses on the beach). The Kylie threads are mourned by some (I never contributed), the fit and sporty threads were well supported (but not by me) until banned and then there's outrage in this case.

I see lots of people doing things in public places I wouldn't do myself and sometimes disapprove of, being rowdy and drunk, being aggressive, being noisy... . I generally don't get involved unless a victim asks for or clearly needs help. When someone is oblivious to the noise it's not for me to tell them to make a complaint about the noise.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 1:35 pm
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I do find the views on this forum extreme sometimes.

Me too. Mostly yours.

If you can't see that it's entirely wrong to take your mobile phone and make a concerted effort to surreptitiously take a video of a childs underwear or genitals,regardless of the distance he was sat away from her, entirely without her knowledge or consent, then that's probably the most extreme thing i've ever seen written here.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 1:48 pm
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My answer is simple stand behind the seats(opposite the family and guy)..make a loud noise or laugh loudly or act enthusiastic to shout to your family etc..so the family turns around the eyeball the peado for a second and swanter of with a smug look on your face as the father sees what hes doing pankidly..and comes over and confronts him..you did nothing but have a coughing fit or laughed at something funny right?...and besides it's fun watching people squirm..


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 1:58 pm
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Are either of these suitable:

She dressed like that and was obviously asking for it?

Sidle up to him, sit down beside and ask to see 'the good stuff'?

Any good? Ah well, I is flummoxed then... 😉


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:04 pm
 DezB
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Me too. Mostly yours.

Extreme, and in this case deliberately obtuse, I reckon.
(Which will no doubt continue)..


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:04 pm
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It's wrong to me but it isn't wrong enough to society for anything to be done, perchypanther. Security wouldn't have done anything, the gendarmes might have asked to check the picture sin the phone memory but that's not sure, the procureur would have shaken his head and gone back to dealing with the beaten wives, the serious cases of harcèlement sexuel with traumatised victims, it's wrong on a scale too low to waste resources on.

Other people have much stricter morals than I, they block hospitals to prevent women consulting for abortion and make a perfect pain in the arse of themselves becuase of their so-called high moral standards. Not me.

Doing more than DD did would have made him a dangerous vigilante, doing what he did upset people and solved nothing. Doing nothing was his best option IMO, especially in a place where he doesn't know the law. That's why he started the thead. I'm reassuring him that if he'd taken the guy on or got the authorities involved he'd have made no progres and caused even more upset. If he regrets telling the family rather than leaving them oblivious I understand that. He was in a no win situation.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:05 pm
 DezB
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Uh-huh


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:06 pm
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....and with that, Edukator slowly lit his Gauloises and shrugged.

I'm out.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:08 pm
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because the phone was several meters from the skirt

... but using (a potentially hi-res) camera zoomed in. If he'd sat there looking at her gusset with binoculars rather than a phone, would you be saying the same thing?


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:10 pm
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If you can’t see that it’s entirely wrong to take your mobile phone and...

It is certainly morally wrong, but that's not in question. The issue is what can be done about it. And without the protection of law, there really isn't much. Unless you want to take him on at his own game, e.g. video him videoing her.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:13 pm
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Aren't TV programmes like Love Island the equivalent in voyeurism?


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:38 pm
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Aren’t TV programmes like Love Island the equivalent in voyeurism?

no, because consent.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 2:42 pm
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Think you did okay in this one DD, don't beat yourself up about it.

As a father of a teenage daugher I thin Id have preferred to hear what happened. But then I'm 6'4" with a foul temper in airport lounges in general.

In my case, I'd suspect I'd have asked him very loudly about what he was doing as someone had seen him do it. Possibly loud enough for the security to overhear, but certainly loud enough for the rest of the seating area to understand.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:04 pm
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Ignorance is sometimes not bliss.

I once stopped a couple of youths breaking in to a car (in the old days when you could grab a Ford window from the the top and basically peel it down). Was never sure whether to leave a note on the car or not. Possibly in that case ignorance is okay, but in your situation, someone had to know and really I don't think either the family or the security were bad options.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:07 pm
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It is certainly morally wrong, but that’s not in question. The issue is what can be done about it.

Well, DD had two options - make him aware that his blatant activities had not gone unnoticed, or publically shame the ****er by loudly drawing everyone's attention to what was going on.

In a foreign airport where you are unsure of the law, and not necessarily equipped to argue/explain your point in that language, I think he did as much as he could do, and many people wouldn't have done that.

I suppose you might have gone and asked directions from the nearest Gendarme while pointing in the general direction of the perv, if only for the satisfaction of him frantically having to delete his footage.

Not sure I would have told the parents, as the incident had 'passed' by that point, and the risk of the dad using the perp's head as a football and getting into hot water himself is unknown.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:09 pm
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molgrips

Could have videoed him videoing her, then put it online. See how he likes it.

That would of been ideal, I never would of thought of that at the time. Even just to use as evidence.

I'd probably of told the dad. Although pointing out the perv to security would of been better in hindsight.

DD as already said you did something. Most on here would of spotted the perv, found a corner then came on here to say what they had seen. Possibly leave him a passive aggressive note.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:15 pm
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video him videoing her

Seems like a reasonable plan-of-action.

Otherwise go up to the perp and in a loud voice cry out 'Sinner repent, let Jesus into your heart and your sins will be forgiven' - depending on many funny looks you are prepared to put up with..........


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:18 pm
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And without the protection of law

The laws are there, it's the way they're applied. And the application of the law evolves on a daily basis with jurisprudences. French courts are more lenient, the prison population is a lot lower than the UK despite a higher crime rate. Un rappel à la loi, a legal telling off is common for minor offences. Sentences are lower and less likely to be applied, the chance of going prison for a first offence with a sentence of less than 2 years is quite low. We don't have red top papers, there's no public outrage, it's just different.

The "have a go" heroes of the British press are much rarer this side of the channel. The idea of a citizens arrest falls flat at the first hurdle. You can't use physical force other than to help someone in danger. In this case if DD had confronted the guy and he'd walked off DD would have broken the law if he's tried to stop him because no-one was in danger.

We're all social animals, people get a feel for what they can and can't get away with, when you travel you need to adapt, and if in doubt keep a low profile. Airports are strange places, people from all over the world with their own cultural background and behaviour.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:23 pm
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I would like to commend you, DD. There are probably other things that you could have done but at least you did something. Most wouldn't, which is part of the problem. You did and you deserve recognition for that.

Me, I'd probably have stood so close in front of his phone that the only thing in the frame would have been my groin, which I would have been scratching conspicuously. When he finally looked up He'd see me filming him with my phone. I'd have said that I like the cut of his jib and if he'd care to sashay along to my place with me, there are some videos I'd like to share with him and maybe I could persuade him to partake in a few.
If that didn't send him away at a high rate of speed nothing will. Then I'd have posted his picture to social media.

Depending on the age of the daughter, wouldn't it meet the test of child pornography?


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:36 pm
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Then I’d have posted his picture to social media.

And broken the law in doing so unless he was a member of a crowd and not singled out. And if you accuse him of anyhting you risk getting done for diffamation.

We live in a crazy legal jungle of claim and counter claim where the truth seems to matter little even when it's established - "that's not x, his fingers aren't that fat":

https://www.20minutes.fr/justice/2527839-20190528-proces-sandra-muller-assigner-femmes-diffamation-defense-risquee-apres-metoo


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:45 pm
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And broken the law in doing so unless he was a member of a crowd and not singled out.

I have never looked into the laws governing photography in public places in France but if I'd posted it from the UK, or possibly even posted it from France to a UK based account, I would not have broken any laws whatsoever. It is perfectly legal to take photos of people in public, whether they are part of a crowd or not. I can zoom in as close as I like to your face. I can't, unlike France apparently, invade your privacy by zooming in up your skirt from any distance, whether you are in a crowd or not.

Truth is a valid defense for Defamation.

Have you changed your original position then? Surely if its illegal in france for me to take his picture if he's not part of a crowd, then doesn't it follow that he is not allowed to record images up her skirt, unless she is part of a crowd?

Again, well done DD


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:54 pm
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It's all well and good saying what you would do in this situation. Often in circumstances like these your mind is racing and you aren't always thinking rationally.

Imo DD did the correct thing. This voyeur could go on to do far worse things in the future.

As a female I feel utterly disgusted that this man was filming the girl. I like to think I would have done the same and approached the family too.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 3:55 pm
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On NYE a few years ago I realised that a guy with an slr was doing this to drunken teenage girls on the Tube, was only as I was getting off that I was sure as I could see the screen, I didnt really process do anything & not sure what I could/should do, but had just enough time to give him the ****er signal through the window!


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 4:02 pm
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I would have got between her and the camera man as a human shield. I may also have done a little dance and winked suggestively at him.


 
Posted : 09/09/2019 4:04 pm
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