LONDON (1010 WINS) -- England is cracking down on what's known as upskirting -- that's the practice of taking a picture under someone's clothing without their knowledge.
It's now a criminal offense in England and Wales, punishable by up to two years in prison. The most serious offenders would be placed on the sex offenders registry.
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Justice Minister Luce Frazer said there's simply no excuse for such behavior.
"We have always been clear -- there are no excuses for this behavior and offenders should feel the full force of the law. From today, they will," Justice Minister Lucy Frazer said
The legislation was driven by a campaign by Gina Martin who found herself as the victim of upskirting at a music festival in 2017. She reported the incident to police who declined to prosecute, because upskirting was not a specific offense at the time. She took to Facebook to vent her anger at the handling of the incident. Her post went viral and her cause was championed by Wera Hobhouse, a Liberal Democrat member of parliament.
Martin said the Voyeurism Act is just the beginning.
"Please raise your voice and report if you are a victim or if you see someone become one -- every report builds a picture so we can stop upskirting," she said.
Hobhouse called the law a 'step towards women's autonomy over their own bodies.'