Always Keep An Eye Out

Matthew Thomas and Cindy Gutierrez, Editor-in-Chief, Reporter

About a month ago, a female customer was in a dressing room at the Victoria’s Secret store at Cielo Vista mall, when she noticed she was being recorded by someone with an upside phone strapped around their ankle.

Erica Gonzales did not expect that she would be recorded while trying on clothes, but thankfully she spotted the man and alarmed workers soon after, which led to him being stopped and questioned by security. Unfortunately, it was too late. By the time the workers and security were alerted, the man had already deleted the videos he captured, so it came down to his word versus hers. No arrests were made, but police said the situation is being investigated.

You cannot stop predators from doing what they do, but there are a few things you can do to catch them in the act or stop them from trying all together. Nowadays, we all carry our smartphones which are capable of picture and video everywhere we go.

One woman in a Target store who was previously harassed by a man asking her sexual questions recognized the man, and chased and recorded him, which led to his arrest and eventual jail time for stalking her. The moral of the story is that your phone can be a useful tool. If the woman had not recorded him, there would be no evidence and she would just look like a crazy woman chasing a man in the store. If you see someone doing something suspicious, make sure you have your own evidence and record the incident.

The second tip is quite simple, do not shop alone. It is true that there is power in numbers, and a group is less likely to get harassed rather than a woman by herself. If you are in the dressing room, have a friend stand outside the room and wait for you to finish, that way no one can attempt anything without being caught.

It is a very sad fact, but the truth is that any woman seen alone in a public or private setting becomes a target for sexual predators. These sick individuals will go to great lengths to satisfy their twisted fantasies, so always be on the lookout, especially if you are by yourself.

Cindy Gutierrez