Tens of thousands of South Korean women protest over secretly-filmed spycam porn

'Entering a public bathroom is such an unnerving experience these days. You never know if there’s a spycam lens hidden inside'

Over 40,000 women staged a protest to urge South Korean government to come up with measures to tackle sexual abuse involving hidden cameras (Getty)

Tens of thousands of women have taken to the streets of South Korea's capital to protest against secretly filmed pornography.

Mass demonstrations by women have been a monthly occurrence in the Seoul since May and more than 40,000 women took to the streets of the city on Saturday - a slight decrease from the estimated 55,000 turnout for a march in July.

Many of the women covered their faces and some held placards that said: “South Korea the nation of spycam” and “My life is not your porn”.

The protesters urged the South Korean government to introduce laws to stop voyeurs using spy cameras to capture graphic images of women.

South Korean women and sometimes men, have been plagued by hidden cameras that capture them undressing, going to the toilet or changing their clothes. The photographs and images are then posted on pornographic websites.

Reports of crimes with spy cameras have rocketed in recent years, from around 1,100 in 2010 to more than 6,000 last year.

“Entering a public bathroom is such an unnerving experience these days,” protester Claire Lee told the Agence France Press (AFP) news agency. “You never know if there’s a spycam lens hidden inside ... filming you while you pee.”

The 21-year-old said when she finds holes in toilet walls she uses a pen to shatter any secret lenses inside, or uses tissue to block the view.

Activists have warned the practice is reaching “epidemic” levels and could spread to other countries.