From Making Upskirting a Crime to Prevention Work: Gina Martin on Changing Her Mind in Public

Gina Martin is a multi award-winning gender equality advocate, writer and facilitator. At 25, after a man took photos up her skirt at a music festival and police told her nothing could be done because she was wearing underwear, Gina launched the 18-month campaign that led to the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019, making upskirting a criminal offence in England and Wales — all while working full-time and facing hundreds of online threats. She's since written three books, writes for outlets including The Telegraph and the World Economic Forum, and was named on TIME's 100 Next list. We talk about the cost of activism, life as a public figure, escaping social media vitriol, and what happens when your thoughts change but the media wants you fixed in place. It's been seven years since her law passed, and Gina now believes prevention and education matter more than punishment. Her activism happens both on the ground - she worked in schools for three years unpacking gender stereotypes with teenagers and now is a practitioner and facilitator in primary prevention of gendered violence with adults who work in the sector, as well as training adults to support and engage young people - and at scale, through her writing, speaking and media work. **In this episode we cover:** - Hyde Park, 2017: what happened, and the police response that started it all - 18 months of campaigning, a full-time job, and hundreds of threats - Why passing the Voyeurism Act felt like relief, not pride - Moving from "carceral feminism" to believing in prevention & education - Her 2023 PTSD diagnosis, stepping back from social media, and rebuilding around real capacity - The importance of facilitation work - Redefining success as sustainable, lifelong work **Mentions:**  Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019 Nyome Nicholas-Williams' #IWantToSeeNyome campaign, which changed Instagram's nudity policy for Black and plus-size bodies Angela Davis, Audre Lorde and bell hooks Richie Reseda and The Feminist on Cellblock Y (2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYxTzsabkH8  Songs from the Hole (Netflix, 2025) A Hymn to Life by Gisèle Pelicot (2026) Aja Barber - Sustainability Activist, writer and consultant  **Links:**  https://www.instagram.com/ginamartin/ https://ginamartin.substack.com/ https://ginamartin.online/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ginamartinuk  This season of The Slow Down is sponsored by female-founded, Greek swim and resortwear brand Kiohne. The Slow Down listeners can use code theslowdown for 20% off their first shop on kiohne.com. Enter their world, explore their collection and buy beautiful pieces designed to be enjoyed while slowing down this summer.