The internet was shocked and rightfully outraged Wednesday afternoon when Massachusetts’ Supreme Court rule that a man taking cellphone photos up the skirts of women did not violate the state’s Peeping Tom laws.
The man was arrested in 2010 by transit police after receiving reports that he was taking photos and recording video up the skirts of women riding the subway.
The Massachusetts Supreme Court’s ruling blamed a loophole in the state’s law that did not specifically target ‘upskirt’ photos, that the law in its current form does not apply to persons who are fully clothed.
Lawmakers have promised to swiftly modify the law to prevent further invasions of privacy.
That being said, what does Illinois’ law say about upskirt photos and creep shots in general?
For this, we turn to Chapter 720 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes.
Fortunately, state law specifically targets any attempt to record another person ‘for the purpose of viewing the body of or the undergarments worn’ by that person. Violation is considered a Class A misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine up to $2,500 and/or up to one year in prison.
Of course, just because it’s illegal doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. The internet’s pushback against this voyeuristic harassment has grown louder in recent years as people take a stand.
