On Monday, ASUO President Rachel Pilliod was the victim of an eerily familiar incident just off-campus: As she was leaving for the University, a man jumped out from behind a car, dropped his pants and began masturbating in front of her.
It goes without saying that this abhorrent behavior is sexual harassment. It has also happened too frequently in recent memory on campus, with men masturbating in front of women’s residence hall windows.
We’re very thankful that there haven’t been sexual assaults recently like those of two years ago, but because of the relative peace, we worry that women may develop a false sense of security. Just because no new assaults have happened doesn’t mean that there are no sexual predators.
And there are things women can do to lessen the risk of being a victim. For instance, try to stay in groups when traveling from place to place. Most sexual predators look for lone victims. To avoid traveling alone at night, women can also avail themselves of shuttle services, such as Nightride and Saferide (call 346-7433), that are set up specifically for nighttime travel.
When confronted by a flasher or masturbator: Leave the area and call the police. Remember every detail that you can, no matter how insignificant, about the perpetrator. Every detail you can supply will help the police catch the suspect. Also, unless there is a imminent risk of violent assault or your path is blocked, don’t confront the person. Get as far away as possible.
Finally, seek counseling if you feel threatened or ashamed or are having other emotional trauma stemming from the incident. There are programs specifically designed to help victims of sexual abuse, assault and harassment, such as Sexual Assault Support Services (call 484-9791).