EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) -- University of Oregon’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) reports four incidents over the past two weeks involving a suspect inappropriately touching women or exposing himself at various locations around campus. DPS reps ask if you see anything suspicious call 911 or The DPS office right away. Here is their report:
Campus Crime Alert: Indecent Exposure
Please note this message may contain information that some may find upsetting.
Update: an additional report of a similar incident was reported after the release of this alert on August 23. See details at the bottom of this story.
On Thursday, August 23 at about 2:45 p.m., a man was reported to be touching himself inappropriately and exposing himself near the UO law school at 15th Avenue and Agate Street.
The suspect was described as a white male, about 20 years old, with short blond or light brown hair that was two or three inches in length and parted on the left, about 5-foot-5 or 5-foot-6, of average build, wearing a black or dark gray tank top or sleeveless shirt, and dark gray or brown sweatpants. Witnesses reported that he stood in front of women with his hands down his pants making inappropriate motions, and then pulled down his pants and exposed his genitals.
He was last reported to be walking north on Agate Street from the law school.
One of the witnesses reported to UODPS that the same man had approached her about a week earlier, near 21st Avenue and Emerald Street, asked her for directions to the UO law school, and then touched her chest with his hand. A man with a similar description was reported to have done the same thing to a woman near 18th Avenue and University Street on August 18 (see the Campus Crime Alert released August 19, 2012).
Anyone with information about these or similar incidents should call UODPS at 541-346-2919.
Updates regarding this incident, when and if available, will be posted on the UODPS website at police.uoregon.edu.
Update: another woman reported an encounter with an identically described suspect, from about 2:15 p.m. on August 23, near the East Graduate Village apartments at 1420 Villard St. The woman, a UO student, reported walking east toward Villard Street in the alley between Matthew Knight Arena and East Campus Graduate Village apartments. She encountered the man, walking the other direction, and he asked for directions to Cafe Seoul. She did not answer and continued walking. The suspect grabbed her from behind, grabbed her chest with his left hand, thrust his hips into her lower back, wiping a bodily fluid onto her clothing.
CAMPUS SAFETY TIPS FROM UODPS
- It is a crime to intentionally touch someone against his or her will, regardless of the situation.
- Encourage friends to travel in pairs or with trusted companions, especially at night or in remote areas.
- Use UO Safe Ride (541-346-RIDE ext. 2), call a taxicab, or contact UODPS for an on-campus escort (541-346-2919).
- If you feel you or others are in danger, call 9-1-1.
- To report suspicious, illegal or unusual activity on campus, call UODPS at 541-346-2919. For emergencies or if you see a crime being committed, call 9-1-1.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR SURVIVORS OF CRIME
- For students, support services are available through the University Counseling and Testing Center, 541-346-3227 (available 24 hours); counseling.uoregon.edu/dnn.
- For students, medical and sexual assault examination services are available at University Health Center, 541-346-2770; healthcenter.uoregon.edu.
- For employees, the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, 541-346-3123, and Office of Human Resources, 541-346-3159, can assist in connecting to resources.
- Other community resources available are Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS), 541-343-7277 (24 hour crisis line) or 541-484-9791, Womenspace, 541-485-8232 or 541-485-6513 (24 hour crisis line), and White Bird Clinic Counseling, 541-342-8255 541-687-4000 (24 hour crisis line).
