South Korean woman jailed for secretly taking photo of male nude model

Protesters say police and court give preferential treatment to male victims and offenders

Female protesters call for South Korea's government to crack down on widespread spycam porn crimes at a rally in Seoul on 7 July 2018 (Getty Images)

A South Korean woman has been imprisoned for secretly photographing a male nude model and sharing the image online – sparking a backlash over accusations of sexism and double standards.

The 25-year-old, who is also a nude model, was handed a 10-month jail sentence after taking the photo at an art college in the Korean capital of Seoul.

The woman – only identified by her surname Ahn – has also been ordered to undergo 40 hours of counselling on sexual violence.

The Seoul western district court’s decision to slap her with a rare jail term has triggered a backlash from protesters who argue the police and court give preferential treatment to male victims and offenders.

South Korea is in the midst of an epidemic of “spy cam porn” – known as “molka” – which usually involves men secretly filming women without their consent. Hidden cameras capture victims going to the loo or undressing in clothes shops, gyms and swimming pools and are then posted online on pop-up pornography sites.

More than 6,000 cases are reported each year – with 80 per cent of the victims being women.

According to government statistics, just 8.7 per cent of those caught secretly filming people in this way are imprisoned on their first conviction. Of the 6,465 cases reported last year, only 119 perpetrators were sent to prison.

A slew of monthly protests in Seoul against the increasingly prevalent practice have attracted tens of thousands. Demonstrators have brandished signs saying “my life is not your porn” and called for punishment for both the men filming videos and those who watch them.

While the amount of spycam crimes reported to police has skyrocketed from around 1,100 in 2010 to more than 6,500 last year, many crimes are thought to go unreported.

"The whole response by the police to this rare case in which a victim is male is truly unprecedented," Seo Seung-hui, head of the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence civic group, told the AFP news agency.

She added: "We rarely saw them act so quickly for countless cases in which victims were female”.

However, in its ruling, the court said the unidentified woman "needs to be punished as she has irrevocably damaged the victim's personal dignity".

"The victim is having serious post-traumatic stress disorder with depression, and he is unlikely to continue his career as a nude model," it said.

Ahn, also a nude model at an art school in Seoul, was arrested in May days after she shared a photo of her male colleague, after a dispute over sharing a rest area.

The case received much publicity – sparking protests from activists who argued the rapid police reaction was unusual and the severe punishment is an example of deep-seated sexism in the justice system. They argue the system is designed to protect men while overlooking the plight of women.

Many male perpetrators have only been made to cough up a modest fine. According to government data, the overwhelming majority of first-time offenders receive suspended sentences or fines, with only about 9 per cent given prison terms.

Last week, police announced they were trying to arrest the operator of a feminist website for hosting spycam porn, including the photo Ahn took.

Hate speech has always been more severe on sites operated by men, but authorities have never considered this a problem. If this is not a cause of selective justice and misogyny, then what is? 

Petition

Around 70,000 people signed a petition against "bias" in molka cases, sparked by police efforts to arrest the operator of the feminist website.

“Your attitude is strong evidence that you do not listen to women’s voices,” the petition said. “Hate speech has always been more severe on sites operated by men, but authorities have never considered this a problem. If this is not a cause of selective justice and misogyny, then what is?”

Since 2004, the country has mandated that all smartphones must make loud shutter noises when taking photos or videos to ensure people are aware they are being used. However many offenders use apps that mute the sound, or utilise high-tech spy cameras concealed inside eyeglasses, watches, lighters, car keys and even neckties.

Police have said the increasing ubiquity of smartphones coupled with the rise of social media has helped lead to the increase in such crimes.

South Korea – where patriarchal values are profoundly ingrained – is in the middle of a battle against sexual harassment. In the past year, the country’s #MeToo movement has taken down multiple high-profile men accused of harassment and assault, including Ahn Hee-jung, a rising star in the ruling Democratic party.