Defense in the shower

[Betty]

I wear contacts, so I have sensitive eyes when they are removed. As anyone who wears them can attest, you can walk through a burning building with them in and the smoke has little effect.

My former roomate can attest the opposite. She was jailed for DUI, and while in the slammer, she decided to get rowdy. The cop came in and doused her with pepper spray. She said the spray caught in and around her contacts and she was incapacitated for quite a while, hovering over the sink.

The same for my brother, who got smoke in his eyes. The contacts made matters worse - it's not so easy to rub your eyes.

I don't trust pepper spray in the shower.

[carebear]

Have you thought about hiring a bodyguard/back scrubber?

I'm thinking of all the times I had to "stand here and watch the door" at campsites and such.

[Mannlicher]

Just dont bend over to get the soap.

[gorlitsa]

The guy is caught, so we're all breathing a little easier here. The dorm is permentaly locked to the outside now, so things are a little more secure.

For next year, I guess I'll have to come up with something else. My door should be right next to the bathroom, so I might just 'decorate' the door with some of my best targets. I guess that means I need to get my groups a little smaller over the summer....

[mike killian]

If the school doesn't provide adequate security NOW (not next year) you have and obligation to protect yourself any way possible. I would not feel obliged to honor their demand of "no weapons" etc if you are unprotected.

[ronin308]

Liz- That guy might get a sex offender record for life...bwahahahahaha!!!

[Christopher II]

Liz -

Voice of experience here. If you keep them out of sight and keep your mouth shut about it, you can store weapons in pretty much any dorm room that doesn't get searched regularly. I wouldn't try this with a gun (matter of risk vs. reward) but a knife, pepper spray, or field-hockey stick would probably go unnoticed and/or unremarked.

Also, if you really need to keep people out of the bathroom, get a rubber door wedge. Stick it under the door, and it'll be that much harder for anyone to get through. Note - this only works if the bathroom door opens inward.

- Chris

[gorlitsa]

Also, if you really need to keep people out of the bathroom, get a rubber door wedge. Stick it under the door, and it'll be that much harder for anyone to get through. Note - this only works if the bathroom door opens inward.

Umm.... Public bathroom. I think the 38 other girls in the hall would be somewhat less than pleased if I locked them out of the potty.

As far as keeping weapons in the room, I know I could do it without it being found, so long as my roommates keep their mouths shut. One of my roommates is a sorority girl with a vocal box to rival a mad siamese cat. I don't think that girl knows what a 'secret' is, and I know from experience (trying to fall asleep last night ) that she doesn't know what 'quiet' means. Maybe next year....

[Christopher II]

Umm.... Public bathroom. I think the 38 other girls in the hall would be somewhat less than pleased if I locked them out of the potty.

Never stopped me. Anyway, it'd really be a measure of last resort.

As for your roommate, well, not much that you can do there. A field hockey stick might pass muster as a sporting implement, but some colleges ban any sporting implement that could be used as a weapon. I know, I know, it boggles the mind...

- Chris

[Kharn]

Stick a baseball bat in the corner of each shower stall, the peeper will get the message.

Kharn

[ThePatriot29]

How about a good sized Maglite flashlight? Get like a 3 cell C light. Valid purpose, bright light, great mace....

Used mine (5 D-Cell) to illuminate the campus flag last night while the lights were off for electrical work late last night. Several friends and I stood there for 15 mins and did our patriotic duty.

Glad they caught the b@$t@rd!!

[gorlitsa]

Well, the school decided to "do" something today. We all got little whistles/LED lights on keychains in our boxes. They're actually quite nice, but someone clearly didn't put too much thought into this. If I start carrying this thing into the shower, that light won't work for very long.

There's also another guy getting into the showers, but this guy seems more determined. A girl had to fight him off Tuesday night.

[cpileri]

That changes the scenario: its now an assault or mugging. The legal definition of a mugging includes "feeling a direct threat to your personal safety"- actually, the perp doesn't even have to physically touch you to mug you.

Anyway, time to raise a stink with the campus security. Try the college newspaper for added hysteria. "Campus administrators aware of shower-stalker and took no action: woman attacked last Tuesday." One thing the media IS good for, is blowing the whistle.

Of course, if I remember my undergrad enough, I wouldn't want one of those guys "guarding" the shower if I was a female.

Never mind that whistle, BTW. Ever heard a whistle filled with soapy water? Like a drowning tweetie bird.

I actually have been in contact with the fellow at Fox Labs. Very nice guy, send e-mail testimonials and does sell to individuals. He will gadly discuss the exact type, size, and formula for your specific application.
Here's his e-mail: [email protected]
Hope this helps,
C-

[mike killian]

Don't wait until it's too late to take control of the situation. The school has shown what they are willing to do..now it's up to you.

[foghornl]

My humble $0.02

Contact ALL the local media, and give them an earful of whats happening in dorm (or not happening , as is the case with the "Skool leeders". And I really like the idea of a baseball bats per shower stall. Aluminum bats...with the GOOD grip tape on them. Some of that grip tape makes it almost impossible to let go of the bat.

If you can, maybe team up with a couple of others for "shower watch buddies". Two women with bats should be able to deter just about any guy.

[jhon]

L.,

In my veiw, the she situation has just gotten VERY serious. It would seem that this "gentleman" is not meerly satisfied with looking, but would also like to touch. (I'm not trying to down play the issue of peeping, as it violates a person's freedom and privacy to say the least.) If the athorities are unable, or unwilling to take the apropriate measures to secure it's facilities, and ensure the well-being of it's students then this burden will have to rest on your shoulders.

With this in mind, let me offer a few suggestions. The first being to buy a good can of pepper spray, as mentioned earlyer by other members. Test it. Yep! Thats right. Never trust your well being to an untried/untested product. Wait until 4 am or so, take your usual shower, except this time, just before you're ready to leave, (make absolutley certain that the bathroom is empty), spray a LITTLE bit in the far corner of the room. No ill effects? If not, then spray what would be a realistic amount that could be expected to to deture someone. You should dicover a number of things w/ this little experement. Let us know how it works out. Oh yeah, If any one asks why the shower room is uninhabitable, admit nothing, deny everything, and make counter acusations. Remember to chuck the evidence sans finger prints. (They'll probably write it off to some frat prank, or some such nonsense. Pretty much par for the course in a college dorm, if a little ant-scocial). It may even serve to scare off any would be peepers. It could even foster rumors, (which you could VERY subtley assist. Your roomate may be worth even more than you know), of a failed attack, promoting outside attention. Who knows.

This brings us to the next issue. What if you ended up gassing yourself, or the pepper device malfunctioned due to prolonged exposure to wet heat? You'll need to find something else to work with. Baseball bats? Possibley in your dorm room, but not in the showers, unless you couldn't give two hoots as to what your fellow students think of you. Most people calim they dont care what people say or think about them, yet in most cases, they are proven to be less then genuine on this count when they slaveshley adhere to the latest gimmics and fashions, proclaiming thier individuality, all the while following the herd of independent minds. Sorry, got carried away there. Bottom line, IF you care about keeping a low profile, then large impact weapons/sporting equipment-whatever, is not the best choice. So, what is? Well you could go for the coffee thermous idea, filled with hot water, and tell people that you get thirsty. It could work. Or you can purchase a relativley cheap folding stanless steel straight razor, and carry it in you shower bag. If asked, very indignantley claim that this is your personall grooming tool of choice. I don't think that they regulate such shaving objects for the male population, so why should you Gals be any different. If challenged (which you won't be unless you have to use it), threaten them w/ a discrimination suite.

Hope this helps. Stay safe!

Jhon

[CZ Gunner]

Lots of good suggestions in this post!

Here are a few quick ideas:

Notify school of the situation and get others involved -- students, faculty, security, family, friends, relatives, school newspaper, public media;

Consider defensive plan -- think and plan your "dorm legal options" in case of an attack or threatening situation: defensive weapons to consider include sporting equipment (golf club, baseball bat, track shoes/golf shoes); sprays that sting the eyes -- bug spray perhaps; portable siren (sold in travel catalogs); etc.

Friends: Make sure there is another girl / roommate within easy ear shot of you when in shower, etc. (as much as possible).

Main thing is: BE PREPARED!