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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Voyeur caught filming teen girl in Butlin's changing rooms - are family changing rooms a good idea?

30 replies

Sunkisses · 13/01/2020 12:08

I used to be all in favour of family changing rooms at leisure centres etc (so mother's weren't always responsible for getting kids changed), but now not so sure. Man jailed for filming a teen girl in the Butlin's changing room. I am guessing this was a mixed sex family village style changing area (article doesn't say)? I see voyeur type stories like this at least a couple of times a week. I don't feel at all safe with my DDs in mixed sex changing rooms. Why are so many places getting rid of female-only spaces, and leaving us vulnerable to these perverts?

OP posts:
Goosefoot · 13/01/2020 12:51

I understand why people want these, in certain situations they can be helpful. In the ones at the pool we use though, I avoid them because they are completely crazy, it seems like the majority of people use them. Teen girls use them, I think because they like the cubicals which they don't have in teh womens. And parents of kids who I would consider old enough to go into the single sex rooms as well.

As a result the whole place is crowded and chaotic, while the men's and women's change rooms are almost empty.

My feeling is the family rooms need more supervision and probably guidelines about who should be using them.

YourOpinionIsNoted · 13/01/2020 12:42

Almost 90% of voyuerism / sexual assaults take place in mixed sex changing areas, in spite of these accounting for fewer than half of all changing spaces.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/sexual-assault-unisex-changing-rooms-sunday-times-women-risk-a8519086.html%3famp

They aren't safe.

EverardDigby · 13/01/2020 12:38

We had a man caught filming women under the cubicles at our leisure centre last year. Puts me off going there. They were built before camera phones were a thing and are now just not fit for purpose, the walls and doors need to be higher and lower to stop phones coming over the top or underneath.

boatyardblues · 13/01/2020 12:38

The pool near us with a mixed changing village has had huge problems with this.

Beamur · 13/01/2020 12:29

Misguided inclusion.
I still think family changing areas are useful though, but this once again highlights predatory male behaviour.
The swimming pool I use has had issues like this. They now have a very visible staff presence at all times. I reported some iffy behaviour once and the staff were on it immediately.
I suspect it's constantly an issue.