A new BBC documentary, "Hunting the Spycammers", presented by former glamour model turned online safety campaigner Jess Davies, has exposed a hidden online network in which men covertly film women and share the footage. Going undercover, Davies uncovered people boasting about secretly recording wives, girlfriends and strangers in private spaces such as bedrooms, bathrooms and changing rooms, with the material then being liked, swapped and circulated. The investigation highlights how easily accessible spy technology and encrypted online communities are enabling a serious and largely hidden form of abuse against unsuspecting women.

Working alongside investigative journalist Liam Connell, Davies, 33, traced a sprawling voyeur website that acts as a hub linking users to encrypted chat groups where non-consensual footage is shared anonymously, including by people in Britain. The documentary examines cheap cameras disguised as everyday objects such as pens, air fresheners and plugs, and features a woman who found a tiny livestreaming camera hidden beneath a toilet seat in a high-end restaurant. Posing as newcomers seeking advice, the pair infiltrated the groups and found perpetrators openly exchanging tips on how to film people covertly. The programme will be available on BBC iPlayer from Wednesday, 15 July.