I would put this as there being problems with the willpower system not fitting or working well with the sandbox nature of the game. As far as I can tell its a design problem that will keep recurring; willpower trying to do too much in too many different ways - or put it another way, that the concept of what willpower is and what it is to be used for is poorly defined.
A couple of other examples. It costs willpower to leave the hotel maid scenes and not look yet in the apartment 58 stairwell encounters it costs willpower to look and not leave. Huh? In the Kolka shower peeking scene it costs willpower to scream, but also willpower to invite him in, while not costing willpower to ignore it or just let him look. Again, I am puzzled?
I'll leave it there as I feel that my well intended criticism is being taken as some sort of attack. (Meaning that willpower seems to be beyond reproach.
)