First shown in April 2004

Flashing is the most widespread of all sexual crimes. Those convicted of indecent exposure in the UK can receive a prison sentence of up to two years. Yet, despite the fact that over 50 per cent of women in Britain have been flashed at, these incidents are rarely reported to police, and flashers are rarely convicted. Instead, the phenomenon is largely ignored.

Flashers: The Naked Truth looks at the methods and motives of the flashers and talks to victims and psychologists, as well as the flashers themselves, to understand what causes their behaviour.  According to sociologist Dr Cynthia Steinhauser, flashers behave as they do through the need to feel validated. Dr Jackie Craissati, a psychologist, says that many flashers naively imagine that theirs is a victimless crime, that they are performing a harmless act. 'Indecent exposers do not pay attention to the possible responses from a victim. They're assuming that it'll be something very benign, and the reality is it may not be.' Louise Burford, flashed at six times by the age of 22, is a case in point. She has found the experience distressing, frightening and humiliating.

The programme travels to Oregon, in the USA, where a revolutionary treatment programme is employed to treat serial exhibitionists, to examine how to stop a pattern of behaviour that is both distressing to the victim and, ultimately, destructive to the lives of the flashers themselves. Only 20 per cent of those treated for flashing go on to re-offend, but as long as the cases go unreported, and the men are not convicted, they will never be treated. As Dr Steinhauser says, 'Report them. Offenders can't rehabilitate themselves.'

If you’ve been affected by indecent exposure or flashing in any way, visit the links below for help, advice and more information.

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