VOYEURS; IT WORKS LIKE THIS A COUPLE DRIVE TO A SECLUDED LOCATION.THINGS GET STEAMY INSIDE THE CAR AND A CROWD GATHERS TO WATCH.WORSE STILL,THEY HAVE BEEN INVITED. BELIEVE IT OR NOT,THIS DEGRADING VOYEUR PHENOMENON IS COMING TO A RESPECTABLE NEIGHBOURHOOD NEAR YOU.

From: The Daily Mail (London, England)  | Date: September 20, 2003  

 

Byline: NATALIE CLARKE
BY DAY it is a lovely spot, a vast parkland with grassy slopes leading to the palace that was home to the Princess of Wales. On a fine day in early autumn, Kensington Gardens is thronged with families and visitors who admire the celebrated Albert Memorial and the statue of Peter Pan which, for many, defines the fairytale nature of this unique royal park.
At night, however, the gardens take on an altogether more sinister character.

In the shadows, figures move furtively towards a prearranged rendezvous, their purpose as contrary to the daytime role of the gardens as it is possible to imagine.

The people in the darkness are part of a phenomenon that is spreading throughout Britain, known in their own bizarre world as 'dogging' - a play on the old phrase, 'walk the dog' - which is every bit as sleazy as it sounds.

sitting quietly in the blackness. From time to time, the men look around expectantly - they are clearly waiting for something.
It arrives soon enough in the form of a blue hatchback. Behind the wheel is a pretty girl with shoulder length, curly dark hair; in the passenger seat is an attractive man with light brown hair. They park and switch the headlights off. Seconds later, the interior light comes on. LIKE a spotlight at the theatre, it signals that the show is about to start. The couple start kissing and touching each other. The passenger seat is reclined and the girl climbs across and straddles the man. He removes his shirt; she takes off her white vest.

Meanwhile, the man in the duffel coat gets out of his car, lights a cigarette and walks casually past the car, looking inside as he does. His appearance on the scene encourages them, and soon they are having sex.
The man in the duffel coat retraces his steps and stops by the driver's door. Brazenly, shamelessly, he stares into the window and watches them.

By now, the dark-haired man in the van has joined him and is watching the action through the passenger window.
The two men circle the car like vultures, peering in at every angle, jostling for the best view. When the 'entertainment' is over, they return to their vehicles and drive away; the couple get dressed and they, too, drive off. It is difficult to envisage a seedier scenario.

What would Thomas Hardy, no stranger to the darkness of human passion, have made of this? The fact that the participants are performing such acts in one of the loveliest landscapes in England makes it somehow even more hideous.
But the dogging fraternity take great delight in choosing the most beautiful locations in Britain to carry out their activities its network extends from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, to Beauchief Abbey, Sheffield, Avon Forest Park in Hampshire and Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

In Kent, dogging has become particularly prolific - local newspapers have carried reports of it taking place in country parks, provoking shock among residents and prompting police to increase patrols in notorious areas warning that anyone caught will be prosecuted.

On one internet dogging site, somebody who identifies himself as Colin, recommends a spot on The Pilgrim's Way, an historic walkway near Maidstone.

'You will see loads of couples getting it on, have joined in on many occasions, excellent nighttime fun.' Another couple called Sharon and Terry, from Cambridgeshire, report the following on another internet site: 'Southey Woods.
Went there Thursday evening with my partner (first-timers). Found that many people crowd round the car or hide within the trees waiting for action.

They were not disappointed.

A very interesting sexual experience for us both.' There are similar messages on websites - most of them far more explicit - from couples across the country.

And now, alongside Kensington Gardens, we have Regent's Park designed by the architect John Nash and famed for its elegant Regency villas which encircle the perimeter - being listed as one of London's premier dogging locations.
It even features on a website called The UK Top Dogging Sites.

A man calling himself David reports: 'The inner circle at Regent's Park, loads of action till September, even during the day have had some really hot experiences there, try it.' The Royal Parks Constabulary said yesterday that anyone found indulging in such activity would be arrested for outraging public decency. EVEN Windsor Great Park doesn't escape the doggers' attentions. 'Large car park on left from Windsor, last car park on right, both good during the day,' says an anonymous enthusiast.

In Dorset, it is not just the beautiful countryside around Hardy's Cottage that has been sullied by such 'fun'. Along with a string of picnic areas, the historic village of Abbotsbury has also fallen foul of 'dogging'. The imposing silhouette of the 15th-century St Catherine's Chapel stands on a hilltop overlooking this beautiful stretch of coastline.
It looks down upon the car park at the foot of Dorset's famous Chesil Beach, which by day is full of young families who come here to picnic and take in the stunning scenery.

But at night, fishermen who park their cars here to go to the beach have been joined by the voyeurs and exhibitionists of the dogging world. One person, identified as 'Dorsetdogger', posted this message on a website: 'Abbotsbury beach car park, on the Weymouth-Bridport coast road (past tropical gardens) is a great location, seen a couple of sights there.' The targeting of the area has been widely reported in the local press and has become a talking point in an area previously renowned for its glorious coastline.

'I can't say I'm shocked about it,' says one long-time resident. 'After all, anything goes these days.' But another said, shaking his head: 'It is just really sad when things come to this. It is demeaning behaviour to all concerned.' There is, however, no shortage of participants. The night after the live sex show in the lay-by off the A35 near Dorchester, I watch a constant stream of cars come and go.

At one point, a smart red saloon pulls in. A man and a woman are inside.
The man switches off the engine and suddenly the brake lights flick on and off a couple of times.
Then the man gets out of the car and approaches mine. Blond, goodlooking and wearing a smart blue suit, he hovers expectantly. I lower my window.

'Looking for fun?' he says, confidently. I decline politely.

Disappointed, he mutters an apology, saying he has mistaken me for someone else, and paces up and down the rest of the lay-by, seeking out anyone else who might be after some 'fun'. HE RETURNS to his car and, in a final act of optimism, gives the brake light signal again before driving off, no doubt to another location on the doggers' seedy road map.
I'm shocked by just how ordinary and respectable he looks, probably a successful professional by day and perhaps with a family who know nothing of his nocturnal activities. Soon after he leaves, another couple turn up in a dark grey saloon and the same brakelight routine is repeated. With nobody around to watch, however, the couple speed off.
Those who take part in such activities claim - as with everything nowadays - that what they do is 'harmless fun'. But, of course, it isn't.

First, there is the obvious risk of infection. In Kent, dogging is being blamed for a dramatic rise in sexually-transmitted infections including Hepatitis B, HIV, chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhoea.
Kent Health Protection Unit says it usually receives only one or two reports of the Hepatitis B infection over a six-month period.

The latest figures, however, show 14 reported cases causing so much concern that health officials have taken the unusual step of posting messages on the internet urging those involved to take better precautions.

But the risks involved are not just of a physical nature. Psychologically, the damage can be devastating.
Anyone willing to start having sexual adventures with strangers in lay-bys and car parks is, after all, treading an extremely dangerous path, for sex is rarely as uncomplicated as these people would have us believe.
Dr Colin Wilson believes those who get involved could be placing themselves in serious danger as well as risking picking up a nasty infection.

'In such a highly-charged atmosphere, people could lose their tempers which could lead to violence,' he says.
'It is not out of the question for a psychopath to pose as a dogger and lure a couple to a secluded spot, where they would be extremely vulnerable.

The internet makes such things frighteningly easy to organise.' One suspects that the growing band of so-called doggers will not heed such warnings. But they are playing with fire and they do so at their peril.