Call for Action: complaint against Clint.be !

Dearest Readers,

We’ve been informed about an article on Clint.be (“Ongecensureerd: pervert filmt onder Antwerpse rokjes” – Date: 26/08/2012) where the editors of this online magazine search for the “sexiest stairs of Flanders” to creep up and spy on women. They filmed the results of their “research” and published it online.

The female body here is clearly looked upon as a public object, as a ‘part’ of the public space and as something over which a woman has no say. If women walk around in short skirts, then anybody is allowed to film up their skirts and if those women decide to report it, they have no say in the matter and must see it as a compliment. This article also requests readers to inform Clint.be’s editorial staff of other “sexy stairs” in Flanders.

We, at Hollaback!Brussels, the future Hollaback!Ghent and the future Hollaback!Antwerp consider this article with its supplementary film a congratulatory solicitation of voyeurism and sexual harassment in the public sphere. The article is a public record of illegal filming of several women (and perhaps under-aged girls) for pornographic aims. It is a clear violation of the Belgian privacy law as well as indecent exposure of women that have no consent in being filmed. These are all criminal offenses.

Therefore we call upon all of you, our dear readers, to file a complaint together with us at the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men by using either this form or by sending an email to the institute.

Please mention on the form or in your email the reason for the complaint against Clint.be:
Discrimination –> Other: voyeurism, sexual harassment in the public space, illegal filming of several women without consent for pornographic aims.

We thank you for your support and (re)action!

Signed,

Eglantine, for the future Hollaback! Ghent
Lise and Margot, for the future Hollaback! Antwerp

Ingrid, Anna, Angelika and Julie for Hollaback! Brussels

P.S. : Since we do not want to give any further publicity to this offensive article by sending out this call for action, we did not provide any link to the mentioned article. Thanks for your understanding. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want more information.

2 Responses

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1. Lore De Backer says:

   September 24, 2012 at 12:29

   I did what I had to do. I was shocked, the article is disgusting. Even worse: it was written to harass.

   Reply
2. hollaback! brussels says:

   September 24, 2012 at 13:30

   Thanks Lore for your support! We’re counting on a massive outcry about this. First we thought it was a hoax, but these Clint people are dead serious.
   In what kind of society are we living if we let them get away with this?
   It’s a vile violation of women’s privacy, and goes way beyond that, it’s encouraging men to creep up on women and sexually harass them through voyeurism and making it public porn.
   No words can express our disgust about this injustice.

   Your Hollaback!Brussels team

   Reply