Public understanding and media portrayal of voyeurism, upskirt photography and revenge porn

Abstract

Voyeurism, upskirt photography and revenge porn are all sexual offences. Most research was conducted to understand the perpetration and victimization, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. However, little research was done to investigate how well the public knows the issues. This study presented an overview of public awareness and understanding in Hong Kong regarding sexual offences and the anti-voyeurism law, as well as media reporting of the issues. Data were collected from the mixed method research, where short questions are embedded in the survey. Also, study of media reporting mainly focused on three English press, Hong Kong Free Press, the Standard and South China Morning Post. The research finding illustrated that the public has a lack of understanding of the issue. Their main source of knowledge is mass media. And there has been a scarcity of news coverage regarding sexual offences, particularly those involving revenge porn. This may lead to limited awareness of the issue among the Hong Kong public.