Legion Troll
A fine upstanding poster
The Georgia Court of Appeals ruling says upskirting (taking video under a woman's skirt) is legal.
Women across Georgia may want to reconsider wearing a dress or skirt. Georgia's Court of Appeals just ruled taking a photo up a skirt in public does not count as an invasion of privacy.
Women across Georgia are speaking out about the new ruling.
"I think that's kind of ridiculous, honestly, I think that's terrifying," says one woman.
"It makes us uncomfortable to walk around a store and we have to worry about who's watching us," says another. Several folks are against the new ruling that makes taking photos up a woman's skirt, also known as "upskirting," legal in almost all public places.
"I think that's kind of crazy," says another Georgia woman. "If someone came up my skirt and tried to take a picture, I assume they would want to arrest that person."
A reporter with WGCL CBS 46 in Atlanta says after the 6-3 ruling, judges said the current wording of state law does not include upskirting.
So while women are protected against photos behind closed door spaces like bathroom stalls and dressing rooms, it's still legal in the supermarket or on the sidewalk.
Georgia State Law Professor Tanya Washington says the biggest problem is not being able to confront the issue until next year.
"You've given people license to continue this kind of behavior," Washington says, "until the next legislative session which is not until next year."
Judges say its up to state lawmakers to fix the wording. State Senator Vincent Fort says until they do, it puts women in more danger.
"So we're going to have six months or so," Senator Fort says, "where these creeps can run around doing this stuff."
Georgia lawmakers say they won't waste any time closing that loophole in the law.
A statement from State Senator Harold Jones reads in part, "The Court of Appeals in my opinion erred. I understand their rationale but the key to me is although this was a public place - the young lady has an expectation of privacy in the area he filmed."
http://www.wrdw.com/content/news/Court-ruling-says-upskirting-not-an-invasion-of-privacy-in-Georgia-387723951.html
