Tamara Khandaker
Staff Writer
@anima_tk
York security received reports of a man spying on women in the washrooms by the Curtis Lecture Halls January 9; the suspect has still not been found.
Around 6 p.m., two women noticed that a man was reaching under their stalls, holding a cell phone camera. Both women quickly left the washroom.
The second time, around 8:30 p.m., a different woman noticed a man peering at her over a stall. Both times, the man quickly left the washroom upon being seen.
According to Wallace Pigeon of York media, university administration contacted Toronto police as soon as the women notified campus security, and provided them with an image of the suspect captured on a security camera.
Following the incident, students have raised concerns about the university’s response to sexual assaults, with some complaining that the administration has failed to properly warn the student population in the past.
Filson Hanfi, a third-year sociology student, is not at all confident about York security’s ability to adequately handle such incidents.
“I wouldn’t even report it to York security,” she says. “I’d go straight to the police.”
The university has issued bulletins online via YU Connect, on York’s mobile app, putting up posters on campus, and through TV screens across campus.
Hanfi criticizes York security for their lack of presence inside campus buildings, and only being seen driving around in their cars.
“I’d like to think that this is an isolated incident, but the area around Curtis [Lecture Halls] are dead around 8 p.m. Things like this can always happen,” she says. “People can get away with it.”
Constable Wendy Drummond of Toronto police encourages students to always be aware of their surroundings in any given situation.
“Situational awareness is one of the greatest defence mechanisms that a person has,” she says. “When you enter a washroom, take a look around.”
She also stresses the importance of reporting any incidents immediately, because a lot of security cameras are time-sensitive and images are only available for a limited time.
The suspect is described as a 5’8″ to 5’9″ brown-skinned male, aged 20 to 25 with a thin face and a chinstrap beard, dark eyes, and black hair. He was seen wearing a grey knitted sweater, blue jeans, shiny grey shoes, and a grey toque. No arrests have been made thus far.
If you have information about these or similar incidents, contact the Toronto Police Service at 416-808-2222. York security responds to all community calls at 416-736-5333.
