A reader just sent this in via Facebook:
I ran into an excited neighbor this morning around 7. She had just chased away a flasher from around Trycicle gardens next to the [Chimborazo] playground. She did alert the police, but they werent able to catch him.
The description I was given was that it is a black male, who wears a dark hoodie with hood up and a mask or face warmer over his mouth area. He walked around anxiously and seemed out of place and nervous before working up teh courage to expose himself.
22 comments
Solution: point and laugh.
Am I reading this correctly? The woman didn’t run away but instead chased a mentally disturbed man wearing a mask? If true, the bad guys better watch out!
wtf!!
Solution: run away – do not engage. Flashing can be sign of a sexual predator, and you never know what could set them off. If you can get away, do it. No sense in taking a chance of becoming a rape victim or worse.
Ugh. :-/
Yuck, he’s back again? I had the not-so-nice pleasure of running into him a while back. Ugh.
Nick Nyce liked this on Facebook.
Men who expose themselves (flashers) rarely if ever escalate to sexual assault, it’s a specific thrill and compulsion, but not usually a violent one. Nonetheless, call the police.This area seems to be a hot zone for these losers.
Taser to the groin, anyone?
Ugghhh… just occurred to me that that might just be the reaction he’s looking for!
HA
Woo!
“Ok now… just what are you trying to show me?” or… “Come back in a few years when you grow up”
LOL
Agreeing with WarGibFA but what Clay Street says is also true to some degree yet you really don’t want to chase them down!
@clay street
Where is your evidence for this? All I have read supports flasgers could progress into rape or child abuse:
“The flasher is more likely to be a young man – they start offending in their teens and, unless treated, continue throughout their lives – who may, over time, branch out into more serious contact sex crimes, including rape. Flashers are also highly likely to become involved in crimes against children”.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/apr/19/gender.uk
Would he stop if we just simply point at his willy and start laughing?
@Church Hillian, I don’t think getting in a back and forth is a good idea, but I dot n’s any sources or citations in that 13-year old Guardian article, so it’s not clear where they got their information. There’s no hard data there, just opinion, in other words.
I’m not saying there aren’t exceptions, but generally it’s understood that exhibitionists get off on the exhibitionist part, and usually (not always, but usually) do not make further contact. http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/exhibitionism
I think the police should be called, though.
Getting in a back in forth is a good idea because you are implying that
flashing is harmless, when it’s not.
Your reference even states they do this commonly to children. That is A PROBLEM. I do not see any where in your article where it difinitively says they do not move on to other sexual pretitor type activities?
Bottom line of they were caught by the authorities, they would be a registered sex offender.
We as a community should be worried about this sexual offender!
Umm, I did in no way whatsoever declare that flashing was harmless to those who are forced to witness the acts of these men. It can be quite alarming. However, I did, based on evidence, state that these men rarely, if ever, escalate to violence or assault. Big difference.
I have a family member who is a therapist who deals with sex offenders (flashers included) and this is really pretty well established stuff.
When you make statements such as:
“Men who expose themselves (flashers) rarely if ever escalate to sexual assault, it’s a specific thrill and compulsion, but not usually a violent one”.
That gives people a false sense of security that flashers are harmless people, when they are NOT.
I’m sorry if you don’t understand the difference between my objective statement and your interpretation of it. I’ve obviously struck a nerve.
I think we can all agree that the police should be called, because it’s not good for the neighborhood to have flashers in playgrounds and parks.
peace out, everybody.
Heard there was an arrest in the alley by the same Tricycle gardens in the afternoon. The man being arrested was wearing a black hoodie. Could this be the flasher? Anyone know anything about this?
There is a difference between exhibitionism and deviant sexual behavior. Most deviant sexual behavior is associated with implusive, difficult to control behavior on the part of the sex offender. Flashing is deviant behavior – not just exhibitionism.
It is a dangerous myth to suggest Flashers never go beyond flashing. I was able to find many examples where the flasher did turn more violent – including Jeffery Dalhmer. Maybe not all do, maybe only a percentage turn violent – but that’s enough for me.
In everything I’ve read, it is very important NOT to engage, to run away fast, and call the police. It’s not a joke.