Women ‘feel unsafe’ after being secretly filmed on nights out in North West

Women in the north-west of England are voicing their concerns about feeling unsafe following the emergence of videos captured of them during nights out without their consent, which have garnered millions of views on social media platforms and attracted a barrage of misogynistic remarks.

Authorities have acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and are actively pursuing the individual responsible for recording these videos. They urge anyone who has been unknowingly filmed to come forward and report their experience.

One victim, Meg, aged 23 from Manchester, shared her unsettling encounter with this alarming social trend. As a makeup artist and TikTok presenter, Meg found herself unknowingly captured on camera during a night out in Manchester. She only became aware of the video’s existence after receiving a link to it.

Expressing her shock and disbelief, Meg emphasized that she had no idea she was being recorded. She described the violation of being targeted in such a manner, highlighting the perpetrator’s apparent indifference to her privacy and consent.

The videos, often titled “Manchester nightlife” or “Liverpool nightlife,” flood platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, accumulating millions of views alongside a plethora of misogynistic commentary. Meg expressed her disgust and concern, particularly for the potentially underage girls depicted in compromising situations without their knowledge.

While filming individuals in public spaces is not inherently illegal, actions that cause distress or harassment could be deemed criminal. Officers from the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) acknowledge the challenge of identifying perpetrators due to the discreet technology they employ.

Challenging the community to be vigilant and report suspicious behavior, GMP emphasized the importance of gathering intelligence from victims and the public to address the issue effectively.

Charlotte, representing Trafford Rape Crisis, underscored the detrimental impact of victim-blaming comments on survivors of sexual violence, emphasizing the urgent need for social media platforms to take action by removing accounts associated with this harmful content.

Both TikTok and YouTube have taken steps to address the issue by removing violating content and accounts. However, for victims like Meg, the urgency remains for these platforms to proactively prevent non-consensual videos from being shared online, as they perpetuate a climate of danger and violence against women.

The closure of these accounts, Meg believes, is not only necessary to protect individual privacy but also to prevent the escalation of potential violence against women in real life.