By Sarah Bastian
When Missy Whalen”s roommate told her about a white truck that kept driving past their window, Whalen took things into her own hands.
“I waited to get his license number, then I called the police,” said Whalen, 21, a senior from Kissimmee, Florida, majoring in secondary education.
Whalen said it turned out that the driver had made driving behind their apartment complex part of his morning routine.
“Every morning he comes before work to get a look,” Whalen said.
Many women students are not aware of their vulnerability to Peeping Toms. Peeping Tom activity is also known as voyeurism, or watching others through windows for stimulation.
Amy Chidester, 20, a senior from Half Moon Bay, California, majoring in dance, did not realize how much could be seen from her window at night. A fellow ward member used a scare tactic to get her to shut her blinds.
“I was putting on a shirt and someone came and knocked on the window and then ran away,” Chidester said.
Even though she knew the person who knocked on her window, Chidester said she was shocked that someone would look in on her.
“After that, I always made sure my windows were closed,” she said.
Open windows and blinds, especially at night, leave women”s apartments in easy view of anyone who wants to look in.
Most women know to keep their doors locked to prevent strangers from walking in, but many do not realize that strangers may be looking in.
“I take extra precautions to make sure everything is locked and secure, but I”m not overly concerned about it,” said Amber Rogers, 18, a sophomore, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, who has not declared a major.
Students can take precautions to prevent Peeping Toms from seeing into their apartments.
Officer Rick Moreno, of the University Police, said the best thing to do is to be aware that it is happening.
“Take a survey of your house at night and see what you can see. Take a survey with your curtains drawn,” Moreno said.
Students may not realize how much can be seen even with the blinds closed, he said.
Students who notice strange behavior should call the police with a description of the occurrence.
“People wait too long or dismiss what they think they see,” Moreno said.
For off-campus housing, students should report incidents to the Provo Police Department. On-campus housing incidents should be reported to the University Police, he said.
Crime prevention programs and literature are available through the University Police for students to learn how to protect themselves, Moreno said.
Students should call the University Police at 378-4051 for more information.
