Breakdown of Sexual Offenses – Stabroek News

Voyeurism

Last week we examined the offense of exposing one’s genitals under Section 28 of the Sexual Offenses Act, Cap 8:03, Laws of Guyana (SOA) and found that it is an offense for a person to intentionally expose their genitals to another person to expose intention that the person who sees it is alarmed or distressed. Due to the way the provision works, we have also learned that if the exposure of genitals is unintentional or is not intended to cause alarm or distress (or neither), then this conduct does not constitute a sexual offense.

This week we will examine Section 29 of the SOA, which criminalizes the offense of voyeurism. While the legislation does not define the term voyeurism, it does clarify the behavior that constitutes voyeurism. This provision aims to penalize individuals who violate the privacy of others in the pursuit of sexual gratification in a variety of ways, including observation, recording and the use of voyeuristic devices.