Oktoberfest offers women shorts to wear under dresses to prevent upskirting

Organizers of Oktoberfest in Munich have begun offering women shorts to wear underneath traditional dresses at the festival, a measure intended to prevent upskirting after thousands of voyeuristic videos emerged on social media, according to the BBC.

Upskirting, the act of covertly photographing or filming under a person's clothing without consent, has become a growing concern at large public gatherings where crowded conditions can make it easier for perpetrators to act without detection.

Response to a recurring problem

Traditional Oktoberfest attire for women often includes dirndls, dresses that festival organizers and safety advocates say can leave attendees vulnerable to this kind of covert filming in crowded settings. By providing shorts as an additional layer, organizers aim to give women attending the festival a practical way to reduce their exposure to the practice.

The circulation of large numbers of such videos online points to a broader pattern rather than isolated incidents, and the scale described in the report appears to have been a significant factor in prompting this year's response from festival organizers.

The report did not specify whether law enforcement has pursued charges against individuals responsible for recording or distributing the videos, or what additional security measures, if any, are being deployed at this year's festival alongside the distribution of shorts.