Illegal Camera Installations in Sunflower Fields
Crimes Using Cameras Surge
Various Miniature Cameras in Smartphone and Power Bank Shapes Sold Openly
Experts Say "Punishment Levels Must Be Raised to Prevent Recurrence"
A hidden cellphone inside a sunflower placed in the bathroom and other areas of the house. Photo by MBC News Capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Public outrage is rising as a stepfather who secretly installed a cellphone inside a flowerpot at home to illegally film his two daughters has been arrested by the police. With sexual crimes occurring not only in public restrooms and subways but also inside homes, voices are growing louder demanding urgent measures such as tougher punishments.
According to an MBC report on the 14th, a report was received in August about a cellphone attached inside a sunflower pot at a home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.
The reporter was the older sister among two sisters in their 20s living in the house, who discovered a shiny object inside the sunflower pot on a bathroom shelf corner and upon checking, found a cellphone.
The discovered cellphone had a closed-circuit television (CCTV) application installed. Through this camera, the shower room was being filmed in real-time, and another cellphone was found inside a sunflower pot placed in the younger sister’s room.
Police investigation revealed that the culprit was the 40-year-old stepfather who had lived with them for 10 years and had been illegally filming for about six months since February this year.
The stepfather reportedly claimed to the police that "he installed the camera to check if the daughter was home before entering, as he usually did not get along well with the older daughter."
However, the Ansan Sangnok Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, after conducting the investigation, judged that the credibility of his statement was low since he had installed illegal filming devices in the bathroom and the younger daughter’s room, and sent the case to the prosecution last month with a recommendation for indictment.
The police applied charges of illegal filming against the stepfather and sent the case to the prosecution last month with a recommendation for indictment.
As illegal filming crimes continue to occur, the devices that can be used for such crimes are advancing day by day.
Searching for "miniature cameras" on various internet portal sites reveals that devices such as glasses-type cameras and watch-type cameras, which can be used for illegal filming, can be easily purchased. In addition, various types of miniature filming devices such as water bottles, pens, and portable chargers are also being sold.
Moreover, apps that can record videos silently can be easily downloaded from Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
In fact, crimes using such illegal filming devices have significantly increased over the past 20 years. According to the "2020 Sexual Crime White Paper" published by the Ministry of Justice, camera-related filming crimes numbered only 412 in 2013 but surged 5.8 times to 2,388 in 2018. Over 20 years, a total of 9,317 camera-related filming crimes occurred. The widespread use of smartphones and other camera and storage devices is cited as the main factor.
As a result, women’s anxiety about so-called "molka" (hidden camera) crimes is growing. Office worker Kim (28) said, "Do we now have to worry about illegal filming crimes even in the home where we should feel comfortable?" and expressed frustration, saying, "Digital crimes are advancing daily, but regulations and punishments are still insufficient."
There are also calls to regulate the sale and distribution of miniature cameras and similar devices. Another office worker Lee (26) said, "I think regulations on miniature cameras and silent filming apps are urgently needed," adding, "Devices using everyday items like glasses and watches are openly distributed. Since it is impossible to tell if a camera is attached, strict sales regulations for such devices are necessary."
Although the recidivism rate for illegal filming crimes is high, punishments remain insufficient. According to previous investigations, among sexual crimes, the recidivism rate for illegal filming (using cameras, etc.) offenders was the highest at 75%.
On the other hand, punishments mostly consisted of fines. The punishments handed down by courts to offenders are still at a lenient level. Among all illegal filming offenders, 56.5% received fines, while only 8.2% were sentenced to imprisonment.
Experts suggest that to eradicate illegal filming, it is necessary to strengthen regulations and punishments along with implementing education on gender sensitivity.
A representative from the Korean Women’s Associations United analyzed the increase in illegal filming crimes, saying, "There has been a tendency to treat digital sexual crimes lightly across society," and added, "Especially, many sexual offenders have received lenient punishments. This practice has continued until now." They further suggested, "Proper education on gender sensitivity is needed, and increasing the severity of punishments will have a preventive effect on recurrence."
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