A 15-year-old girl, dressed in her school uniform, was unknowingly followed by a stranger at Victoria’s Mayfair Shopping Centre while she was with her mother and brother. A disturbing cellphone video later revealed the voyeur trailing the family and surreptitiously recording under the girl’s skirt.
The girl’s mother was faced with a difficult decision upon learning that her daughter’s image was captured and shared on child pornography websites. The devastating impact was detailed in a victim impact statement presented in court earlier this year.
This incident is part of a large-scale voyeurism case in Canada involving 652 women and children. Yin Yeung Derek Chan, the perpetrator, spent six years clandestinely recording victims across communities in southern Vancouver Island, including filming through house windows and stalking malls and popular stores in downtown Victoria.
Chan, who was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison in May, uploaded footage and photos of victims to social media, porn sites, and a personal website that amassed over a million views. Despite the sentencing, numerous images and videos are still circulating online, with only a fraction of the victims identified.
The impact of Chan’s crimes on the victims has been profound, with many struggling with feelings of violated safety and trust issues. The victims shared their emotional turmoil in court statements, highlighting the lasting trauma caused by the voyeurism.
Chan’s method of accessing victims’ homes through his delivery job as an Uber Eats driver was revealed during court proceedings. He was known to steal women’s underwear while recording videos and had a history of secretly filming women in public spaces.
The police investigation into Chan’s voyeurism activities and the challenges in removing the online content remain ongoing. The victims continue to grapple with the aftermath of the crimes, facing difficulties in daily life and profound psychological impacts.
Despite the widespread reporting on the case, unanswered questions persist about the extent of Chan’s actions and the lingering effects on the victims. The community remains vigilant as efforts to address the online dissemination of the recordings continue.
