Recently, actress Febby Febiola caught a university student videotaping her in a public toilet. According to Febby, while using the toilet , she saw a cellphone being held above the cubicle wall. She screamed and immediately banged the next cubicle. She later called the security. According to the police, the man appeared to be drunk. They also found five more similar videos in his Blackberry phone. Apparently the incident was first of its kind, maybe this was the case because the perpetrator was caught red-handed. The police investigation is going on.
The mall, a high end shopping center is situated in Central Jakarta shows a lack of responsibility. When a man is found in a woman’s toilet, clearly something is amiss. Throughout Jakarta there are many malls, that have unmanned public toilets. The male/female sign boards are there, but no personnel to check if these signs are being respected. No wonder such intrusion of privacy happens. Perverts can easily pass through unmanned ladies washrooms and video tape unsuspecting women.
While the malls should look into this matter seriously, even individuals can ensure their own safety. A few precautions can go a long way. Women should make it a habit to check toilet cubicles before they enter them. They should be aware of their surroundings and alert to any unusual sounds or movements around them. And if possible never visit the public toilet alone.
