Voyeurism / voyeur

Voyeurism refers to sexual arousal through watching other people, such as while they are undressing or engaging in sexual acts. A person with voyeuristic tendencies is called a voyeur. In BDSM or fetish contexts, watching consensual sexual activity can be part of a scene; outside clearly agreed situations, however, observing other people is not legitimate.

It is important to distinguish this clearly from secret or unauthorized watching: spying on intimate situations without permission violates privacy, may be illegal, and is considered intrusive. Consensual observation, such as during performances or agreed-upon watching, is something different and requires the explicit consent of everyone involved.