Sharking

Sharking refers to an act in which a perpetrator sneaks up on a victim, usually female, in a public area and forcefully exposes the victim's intimate parts before running away.

The Law
In the United States, every state has its own laws against acts which may be interpreted as sexual assault. As in all cases in which sexual assault is alleged, the lack of consent by the victim is relevant for prosecution. In the UK, this act is illegal under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and may carry a punishment of up to ten years' imprisonment depending on the particulars of the crime.[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030042_en_2#pt1-pb2-l1g3]

Process and Terminology
The attacker first exposes and then at least partially removes undergarments to expose the victim. Normally, a female wearing a skirt has it quickly flipped up, undergarments pulled down, and then the attacker runs away. Sharking generally takes place in open view such as on a busy street, as the attacker seeks to embarrass the victim.

Removal of lower clothing is what is generally meant by the term sharking, but this may also be referred to as bottom sharking to distinguish the act from top sharking, in which the victim's shirt or jacket are pulled out of the way and brassiere pulled away or unhooked. The sharker is the perpetrator -- Generally a male who may wear a hat or other disguise. The victim, or sharkee, is generally a female wearing a skirt or easily manipulated clothing, such as a tube top.

=="Pantsing" vs. "Sharking"==
Sharking has similarities to the common schoolyard prank of pantsing. Both terms are cultural, not legal terms and as such the definitions of both terms may evolve with changing cultures. However unlike pantsing, the perpetrator is less likely to know the victim personally, and will generally attempt to remain anonymous by use of disguises and/or running away. Pantsing does not generally involve removal of undergarments, as sharking often does. Also, pantsing refers only to removal of lower clothing, whereas sharking may include removal of upper clothing.

Videotaping
The crime is best known due to the frequency of such assaults being videotaped and posted to the internet, although there is a good deal of debate as to whether or not many of these videos are authentic, or staged, or a mixture of both. A second person operating a camera may take a position away from the victim, either by hiding around a corner, or by posing as a pedestrian with the camera hidden somewhere on their person. Of course, if sharking is performed voluntarily by actors including the "victim", the presence of the camera operator would likely be known to all parties. In that case, part of the cameraman's role is to create the appearance on resulting video that person playing the victim is being surprised, by pretending to keep the camera hidden as an "accomplice".

Popular Culture
In an episode of the U.S. TV series "30 Rock," character Tracy Jordan mentioned Sharking as an activity in Japan.

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