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Photo from Lianne
A woman said she confronted a man taking photos of her at Caldecott MRT station, but was subsequently informed that no crime had been committed.
She has decided to speak about the incident as she believes that the man had photographed other women before.
The woman, who only wanted to be identified as Lianne, told Mothership that the incident took place on Jun. 23 at around 5:20pm on the Circle Line platform at Caldecott MRT station.
She noticed a man there and he appeared to have taken photos of her body without her consent.
She confronted him before he could leave.
He denied it, until the photos were found
When confronted initially, the man apparently denied taking any photos of her.
It was only after SMRT staff intervened and asked to check his phone that multiple photos of Lianne were found inside a photo album on his device.
She said: "I saw approximately six to seven photos of other women in his photo album. They were located just above the photos he had taken of me. From what I saw, they all appeared to be full-body shots of women who seemed completely unaware that their pictures had been taken."
After the photos were discovered, the man apparently changed his explanation, claiming that the photos were "accidental" and insisting he had done nothing wrong since they were not explicit in nature.
He allegedly asked SMRT staff whether he would be "blacklisted”, and also said he was "in a rush to go home”, and asked to settle the matter privately with Lianne instead.
SMRT staff detained him
Lianne said she approached the passenger service centre at the MRT station to report the matter.
The station staff contacted the police.
The staff stayed with the woman and the man until officers arrived.
Lianne: "The SMRT staff were extremely helpful and immediately detained him. They brought him into a room while waiting for the TransCom police to arrive and take both his statement and mine."
She later learnt that he was released and allowed to go home using public transport.
Not an offence
Lianne lodged a police report and was given a case card with the investigating officer's details.
However, TransCom officers at the scene apparently informed her that there was apparently no case.
In response, Lianne said: "I struggled to understand how, despite CCTV footage and multiple full-body photos of me being found on his phone, the situation could still be viewed as 'no offence' as of now due to a lack of evidence."
"My concern is that when this kind of behaviour is brushed aside, it can send the message that such conduct is acceptable and discourage others from speaking up," she added.
Why she's speaking up
Lianne added that she hopes that by sharing her experience, other women who may have noticed that they were photographed by the same man will come forward.
She said: "Today, it was 'just some photos'. But just because a photo isn't explicit doesn't mean it was welcome. No one should have to minimise their discomfort just because others don't see it as a big deal."
She added: "If someone is secretly taking photos of you and it makes you uncomfortable, trust that feeling. You don't owe anyone an explanation for protecting your boundaries. Even if nothing immediate comes from it, coming forward could help protect someone else and let others know that they are not alone."
What lawyers say
It is typically not against the law in Singapore to take videos or photographs of another person in public without their consent, CNA reported in September 2023, citing lawyers' opinions on the matter.
But it crosses the line when the footage is taken in a private place, such as in a bathroom or a changing room, or when they are engaged in a private act, such as showering, changing, using the toilet or breastfeeding.
The lawyers also advised that there is the option to file a Magistrate's Complaint if a case is not taken further for investigation or prosecution after a police report was made.
However, the person feeling aggrieved does not have the right to demand personal identification documents from the other party, or prevent them from leaving the scene.
