We all like to believe that ourfriendswill always be there for us and that we can trust them completely. But for one woman onReddit, a seemingly solid friendship took a shocking turn.
After four years of knowing a man who was also her boyfriend’s childhood friend, she discovered he had been spying on her in her own home with his phone and smartwatch. When she confronted him, he admitted to his actions and quickly offered an uneasy apology. But the woman knew she needed more than that. Keep reading to find out how she handled the situation.
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The woman noticed that her friend of four years had been spying on her through his phone and smartwatch
Image credits:Ron Lach / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits:Olha Ruskykh / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits:Reddit
The hidden spy camera epidemic across the world
The evolution oftechnologyis truly fascinating. We now have devices—from smartphones to wireless headphones—that make our daily lives easier with so many features at our fingertips. Unfortunately, this rapid advancement also has a darker side, as seen in the Reddit story.
People are increasingly becoming victims of digital sex crimes, especially through secret recordings. And it’s no longer just phones being used for these acts; there are countless creative ways that perpetrators misuse technology for harmful purposes.
South Korea is at the epicenter of this troubling trend. In 2021,Human Rights Watchidentified the country as a leader in spycam usage for digital sex crimes. Throughout the 2010s, thesehidden camerasbecame widespread, often tucked away in small holes or cracks in walls, especially in women’s public restrooms and motel rooms. Disturbingly, the recorded images and videos are often sold online on various platforms, including popular social media sites like X (formerly Twitter) and Tumblr, without the knowledge or consent of the people being filmed.
Sadly, many victims, particularly women, find that seeking help can lead to even more distress. Instead of receiving the support they need, they often face harsh treatment from the police and are unjustly blamed for what happened to them.
“I cried all night. I couldn’t sleep. I had to take medicine to soothe myself,”recallsLee Ye-rin (not her real name), who discovered that a watch her boss gifted her had a hidden camera. It had been recording her in her own home for over a month.
“What happened took place in my own room. So sometimes in regular life, I feel terrified without reason,” she shares.
“Really private things that he shouldn’t have known about,” sheexplains. “If I asked how he knew these things, he’d say I told him and accuse me of losing it.”
Nowdivorced, Amy lives miles away from her ex-husband and has a restraining order against him. Yet the trauma from her experience continues to affect her life in significant ways.
Gemma Toynton from the domestic abuse charity Safer Places sees the long-term effects of these invasions of privacy regularly.
“It reduces someone’s trust,” shesays. “It makes them see a phone or laptop as a weapon because that’s what it’s been used for.”
“It really does impact your whole life.”
Image credits:cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo)
In the replies, the woman admitted she was nervous about addressing the situation legally
The commenters urged the woman to take action and report her friend to the police
The woman took the advice to heart and filed a police report to protect other potential victims
Image credits:Liza Summer / pexels (not the actual photo)
The users were genuinely sorry for what she had experienced and offered their support
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