UNT students voice concern over ‘potentially improper’ photos taken of women in gym
The University of North Texas Police Department is investigating reports that someone took dozens of photos of women — without their knowledge — working out in the campus gym and posted them on a lewd website.
Police at the Denton university said in an online statement Wednesday that they learned about the “potentially improper photography” Sept. 1 and have taken reports from some of the people identified in the photos.
One UNT student, Kate, told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV that she found photos of more than 50 women, including her own, taken at the Pohl Recreation Center. She has since switched gyms but is still concerned someone might be watching her.
Kate, who asked to be identified only by her first name to protect her privacy, said the photos were still available Friday on Google Images, even though the poster appears to have deactivated their account, WFAA reported.
“It’s awful because it’s out there on the internet, and it’s not going to go away,” Kate told WFAA.
Claire, another UNT student, told the Dallas Observer that she found more than 20 photos of herself and nearly 60 of her roommate, all taken without their knowledge at the Pohl Recreation Center. She’s taken to wearing sweat pants and other baggy clothes when she works out.
“I go to the gym to feel comfortable with my body and be confident,” Claire said to the Observer. “Now I can’t do that because there’s a creep taking photos of my girlfriends and I.”
Up until 2015, the Texas Penal Code made it illegal to take photos, video or otherwise record someone without their consent and with the intention of arousing or gratifying “the sexual desire of any person” in locations that were not bathrooms or private dressing rooms.
The law has since been changed to make photography illegal only in bathrooms or changing rooms.
UNT police said in the statement that the reports they’ve received so far indicate the photos were “taken in public spaces. However, we are working to identify the subject(s) taking the photos so we can evaluate the situation further.”
Kate told WFAA that the state law might need to change to prevent something like this from happening again.
“Just because something’s legal does not make it OK,” she said to WFAA.
This story was originally published September 14, 2024 at 2:43 PM.
