Voyeurism
Last week we examined the offence of exposure of the genitals under section 28 of the Sexual Offences Act, Cap 8:03, Laws of Guyana (SOA), we learned it is an offence for a person to intentionally expose his genitals to another with the intention that the person who sees will be alarmed of distressed. We also learned that because of the working of the provision, if any exposure of genitals is unintentional or not intended to cause alarm or distress (or neither), this conduct does not constitute a sexual offence.
This week, we will examine section 29 of the SOA, which criminalises the offence of voyeurism. Now, the legislation does not define the term voyeurism, but the conduct which constitutes voyeurism is made clear. This provision is crafted to penalise individuals who, driven by the pursuit of sexual gratification, violate another’s privacy through various means including observation, recording, and the use of voyeuristic devices.