An expatriate living in Bali has highlighted a disturbing trend of scooter taxi drivers filming female tourists up their skirts, with hundreds of videos reportedly appearing online. Loui, a six-year resident of the island, stated that she has become increasingly alarmed by the "creepy" videos posted across social media platforms by drivers, primarily targeting young female tourists.
The footage, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views, often features women wearing dresses or short skirts, and is shared with sexually explicit comments from viewers. Loui claims these videos are used by drivers to gain large online followings and generate income. "They have hundreds of thousands of followers on Facebook and TikTok, and this is how they literally generate money," she said.
Loui, who has also experienced this form of harassment, described an incident where a driver allegedly used a 360-degree camera to film beneath her skirt as she dismounted his scooter. She emphasized that many of the women filmed may be unaware they are being recorded or that the footage is being shared publicly. She noted that some drivers even share the drop-off locations of passengers, potentially compromising their safety.
"They show the address when they drop them off, everyone knows where these girls live," Loui stated, urging female visitors to exercise caution when using scooter taxis. She clarified that her concerns are directed at individual drivers engaging in this behavior, not the ride-sharing companies like Gojek or Grab, which offer a popular and convenient way for tourists to navigate the island's congested roads. The service, which tracks routes via an app, has generally been seen as a safer alternative to street-hailed vehicles or walking at night.
Other women have shared similar experiences and concerns in the comments section of Loui's posts, with one writing, "What someone chooses to wear does not give you permission to expose or sexualize them." Another commenter stated, "This happened to me in Bali. The comments were disgusting and nothing even happened."