Tennessee lawmakers pass Voyeurism Victims Act after secret recording crimes
With Monday's vote, the Voyeurism Victims Act now goes to Gov. Bill Lee's desk to be signed into law.
Last November, a Nashville man was arrested and charged with illegally recording sexual encounters with four women without their consent. Though evidence that other victims were recorded was discovered, multiple women were unable to pursue charges in the active criminal case because of the current statute of limitations.
House Bill 602 will change the statute of limitations to one year past the date of discovery, rather than the date of the original crime, allowing victims more time to pursue justice in their cases. The bill will also make victims of unlawful photography able to petition for an order of protection.
In November, Matthew Vollmer was arrested and charged with eight counts of unlawful photography after his girlfriend discovered explicit videos, allegedly filmed with a hidden camera, on his computer depicting multiple women.
Vollmer pleaded not guilty to filming four victims and has not returned a Tennessean request for comment. The case is set for trial on March 20.
Christiana Warner testified last week in support of the bill, telling lawmakers about how she found videos of herself and other women on her then-boyfriend's computer last year. Warner said she searched his bedroom and found a hidden camera in his alarm clock, in addition to "thousands" of sexually explicit video files on his computer.
More: After traumatic secret recordings, these Nashville women seek to change criminal law
"I was incredibly fearful of who this deceitful man really was and what he was capable of. I feared my privacy. I feared my safety. With him facing potential criminal charges and knowing it was me who reported him, I feared he would retaliate," Warner said. "I feared for my life. I was not granted my order of protection because unlawful photography did not meet the criteria for one. I was not protected by the law. I still live in fear today."
The legislation will not apply retroactively, but Warner and other women in the case have said they hoped to change the law to help future victims of similar crimes.
"This is so much bigger than us. This is about everyone who comes after us. This is about justice, true justice, something we should all be afforded when we're wronged," Warner said.
After the bill passed the House on Monday, lawmakers gave the women a standing ovation.
"They advocated tirelessly for this legislation," said Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Nashville, who with Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, sponsored the bill.
Meanwhile, a separate bill that increase unlawful photography crimes in sexual situations from misdemeanors to Class D felonies has been filed but has yet to signficantly advance through committees.
The House approved the bill in a 93-0 vote. The Senate passed it March 3 in a 32-0 vote.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee strengthens law against recordings: Voyeurism Victims Act
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