Bath Leisure Centre, naked men in ‘changing village’

Exposure offence

Difficult to prove in a mixed changing facility.

to intentionally expose their genitals and intend that someone will see them and be caused alarm or distress (section 66, Sexual Offences Act 2003)

A male user would just say that they didn't mean to cause alarm or distress, and didn't mean for anyone to see him.

There is a high bar to the (rare) use of "Outraging Public Decency". (This would be the appropriate offence for watching porn in a public place or within the view of a member of the public - but not indecent exposure.)

If you design a mixed sex space for people to get undressed right down to their birthday suits, then exhibitionists have got a "get out of jail free" card. In effect, the management are declaring "caveat emptor" if you want to use their services.

Indecent exposure - the act of outraging public decency by being naked in a public place.

west-midlands.police.uk/your-options/flashing-indecent-exposure-and-sex-acts-public

Interesting to note, that someone on a Twitter post tried to contact Karen Walker, the councillor who would be in charge of the reopening ceremony at the leisure centre, and the result was that the tweet was deleted.
I certainly wouldn't go to any leisure centre which had mixed changing and showering facilities.

miri1985 wow it's pretty clear the Express feel sorry for him isn't it? Amazing that a paper run by a pornographer would react in such a way

Its been established that a man exposing himself to a woman even in a unisex changing area is a crime. If these men know that they can be seen by women and are not making an effort to cover up then its indecent exposure and it seems like its being facilitated by Bath Leisure Centre

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/620851/Alisdair-John-Wilson-teacher-career-ruins-naked-in-changing-rooms

Here's the twitter thread describing one woman's discomfort and the reaction to her tweet from locals:

twitter.com/BubsandJacks/status/1082661506288885760

My daughter asked why I kept checking the top of our cubicle while we were changing in cubicles next to men. Really not much better than being out in the open.

Sarahj
Jesus that's awful, such a horrible violation!

Cubicles are no better. Men should be out of our spaces and back into their own.
Worst fears realised about these kinds of changing arrangements.

Who is foisting this crap on us?
That's another local venue off my list.

Oh no. This is so shit
My local. This is depressing but predictable for Bath.
It's just undergone a refurb. Was a stinky, run-down, verruca-fest dump but at least we had privacy when changing.
I'm going to have to go and check this out. One of the kids was there on Saturday, but not for a changing activity.
Might send OH instead as he likes a swim. Get him to report back.
Fucking 'changing villages'. What an insulting concept, as though drying your bits off is a community activity. I don't want to change in the middle of a bloody village, I need privacy.

As an aside, can I just applaud the wonderful Jean Hatchet? A great response from her to the irritating (male) twat.

I haven't been there since my husband rescued a drowning child and the management response was full on Mr Brittas. It has been refurbished but they promptly had to close the viewing gallery due to the size of the gap in the railings which was big enough for a small child to fall through causing mothers to express concern and health and safety to get the builders back. I haven't heard if that has been resolved but one would hope so, it was a few months ago. It's definitely not my preferred swimming pool but I may go and see what it's like post refurbishment. Not before the weekend though.

Considering their new facilities include a leisure pool, designed to attract children, this should be of some concern, if true.

www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/banes/bath-sports-and-leisure-centre/swimming-pools

Now back open after it's refurbishment, Bath's leisure pool now boasts a full range of brand new play features and flume so children, big or small can splash around for many fun filled hours.