Voyeur Who Posted Pics Of Unknowing Women to Porn Sites May Go Free

A prolific voyeur at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has been identified after posting pictures of more than 100 women to porn sites, but it turns out that he may have done nothing illegal.

Hawaii News Now reports that the unnamed man had taken photos of women on the university campus (while they were fully clothed) and posted them to adult websites where commenters assaulted the pictures with awful comments of a sexual nature. But because the photos were snapped in a public space, attorneys are stating that there’s nothing that can be done in a criminal court.

“The fact of the matter is, there’s nothing illegal,” says Myles Breiner, a defense attorney who is a member of the ACLU. “Unless there’s some economic loss, simply someone saying something mean or inappropriate about you, unless you can show damages, there’s not a lot you can do.”

UH Law Professor Linda Hamilton Krieger agrees that criminal action can’t be taken, but believes the women do have a civil case. ”It seems to me, this is pretty clearly intentional affliction of emotional distress,” says Krieger. “This person has intentionally done something to them that a reasonable person would know would cause distress.”

There’s no news yet whether any of the women will press civil charges — especially because of how distressing the experience has already been — but Hawaii News Now reports that several have sought mental health support at the University of Hawaii’s Women’s Center. Some have also filed complaints with campus security and are being helped through the process by the women’s center, which has released a statement saying the behavior of the voyeur is abhorrent, if not illegal.

“Its upsetting, its concerning, and its a sense of loss of control over a situation and that’s the most upsetting for the students,” says Leslie Cabingabang of the UH Women’s Center.

“This is something that we will not tolerate, and regardless of whether or not this is a crime, it is being addressed,” says Cabingabang.