Students have been reporting being catcalled in and around the parking garage. The individuals who have been interviewed for this piece have requested to remain anonymous. The respondents who reported incidents occurring in or around the parking garage will be denoted by letters, such as Individual A, Individual B, etc.
“My roommate and her friends. They were walking through the parking garage, and a group of boys came up to them and told them, ‘You can either suck my [expletive] or give me your Snapchat,’” Individual A said. Out of fear, she gave him her Snapchat.
Individual B also said she was being verbally harassed one night in the parking garage at around 11 p.m.
“I was approached in the parking garage by someone, and he said some very unkind things.” Individual B said.
She went on to add that the university is not responsible for the conduct of young adults on campus.
“It does not make me feel any differently about our school. It just makes me scared to go out by myself,” Individual B said.
The final incident that has been obtained was an individual being catcalled on her way into the parking garage, an incident that she defined as “creepy.”
“I was walking from the Century Park South and into the parking garage. I wasn’t alone but my friends were kind of trailing behind me,” Individual C said.
“A group of men were looking in my direction. I thought they were talking to my friends behind me. I soon realized they were pointing me out. One said, ‘Yo momma come here.’ Me not paying attention to them I kept walking, but it continued. The guy got irritated that I wasn’t flattered by it and preceded to say, ‘At least you can acknowledge me.’ I started to laugh because he sounded so dumb. But it occurred to me that what he was doing was unwanted on my behalf because it had continued after his first encounter,” Individual C said.
Individual C said she did not report the incident because the man did not follow her or make her feel unsafe.
“There have not been any other instances with me around campus, the only places I really see it happening is right outside the parking garage and in the parking garage,” Individual C said.
It is unclear if these instances are linked in any way. Likewise, it is also unclear if there is a culture of individuals hanging out in the parking garage searching for women to catcall. The intent of the individuals involved appears to be more or less the same – male students attempting to either talk to or illicit sex from female students in the parking garage.
The University Police Department has not responded at this point in time to our request for a comment on these incidents. According to the weekly crime reports, there does appear to be a trend with illegal things happening in the parking garage. Just in the past week, three out of nine total incidents reported have taken place in the parking garage. These incidents referred to are not of an explicit sexual nature; however, there does appear to be a trend towards illegal incidents taking place in the parking garage.
To report an incident, visit UPD in Bond Hall or call 601-266-4986.
