Tuesday, April 17, 2001 approx 2am

I was pulling into the parking lot and saw some guy walking away from the buildings towards the side streets and I thought it was kinda weird, but said 'oh well, maybe he's leavin to go home...' and I kept driving. Then I pulled into a parking spot that was WAY WAY WAY in the back and was walking through the main aisle towards the buildings. Now, there are street lamps up so I can see pretty darned well and ahead of me is the same guy. I was getting kinda weirded and had this bad feeling, plus my purse was on my arm on his side so I kept thinking 'he's gonna lift my purse...asshole.' So I kept walking, trying to remain calm but kept looking at him coming closer.

You know how when you're walking towards a stranger, both of you will tend to take a 'safe step' away from each other. Well, he didn't, and I didn't because I was near the curb of the aisleways. Once he passes me, he reaches out his arm and grabs my breast. Yes, I said he grabs my breast. I turned right around and yelled 'excuse me!' He didn't stop, didn't stutter, didn't speed up; he just kept on walking away at the same pace he was before. I called out 'fucker' but he, again, didn't respond in any way.

I was unsure on what to do. Part of me said 'this happens, it's not a big deal. Worse things could have happened.' Then part of me was like, 'what if this has happened before? What if he does it again....' All that stuff. So when I got into my building, I went over towards the TVs where the security people were and I told them that there was a guy in the parking lot who walked past me and grabbed at my chest. They sat up right away, one talking on his walkie talkie and the girl walked over to the table and took down my description of him. Then another guy (who I know works here at UP as the judicial officer) came into the building from the parking lot saying no one was out there at that time. (apparently the guy on the walkie talkie was talking to this guy---his name's Matt)

So then Matt asked me again what happened and I told him and he made comments referring to the fact that this happened last semester. I was livid that no one had heard of this. Then, he asks if I want to report it to the police and to me that's like singing to the deaf. What are they gonna do about it? Matt told me that in the event that they catch this guy, it would look better that I had filed a report because that way there's more against him. So I said fine and waited for the police to come. In waiting, I asked Matt what he meant in saying it happened last semester and it seems it happened once in our parking lot (something of this kind of matter) and a couple times in the gravel lot of the dorms (which is directly across Annie Glidden Rd from us) but that they never caught anyone.

A police officer comes and reads the description I gave the girl from security and goes over it again with me. Takes down my info, gives me his card, said NIU police were patrolling the parking lots across the way (in the direction I told them the guy was walking in) and tells me that he'll call if anything comes up he'll call me. That if they catch the guy tonight, they'll bring him over in a squad, shine lights on him so he can't see out, and let me go up to the vehicle to ID him.

I went up to my room and within 15 minutes the cop calls back saying they picked someone up over by Greek Row but that there's some problem that they can't get him over here, would I go and ride over there with him. So, we went over and there were three squad cars already there. I think two NIU and one DeKalb. Three cops were with the guy and the closer we got (I was still in the car though) the more certain I was that it was him. One of the DeKalb cops came over to the car and was talking with the cop who drove me over, saying that he had a guy like this last semester and the description seems the same. Again, I couldn't believe this that I had never, ever heard about this up here at all. And this morning I told Izah about this (she reads the paper everyday) and she said she never heard of this. I assume they didn't want to scare people? Who knows?

So, I said that it was the guy definitely, and the cop outside the car went and cuffed him, patting him down then took him to his squad car. The cop said he felt that I described the guy "to a T." That I was dead-on with the description of him, and I pretty much was. I amazed myself. When it happened and he walked away from me, I thought to myself, 'you're never gonna forget what this guy looks like,' but then once I was trying to describe him to security, I was getting worried that I couldn't remember everything exactly. Apparently, I did a good job. That weird-ass memory of mine. I couldn't tell ya half of what I did in classes last week, but I could tell you a detailed, inch-by-inch description of Creepos.

The cop drove me back saying that he'd take some pictures of the guy at the station in case something comes up where I need to ID him again. Then said that in the reports, my name will be in the body of it to say who made the complaint, but that he'll sign the complaints and put them in his name so that public records doesn't keep track that it was me.

I came back to my room and it was around 3am by then and the cop called again saying the guy was an ex-student who still lives out here, he lives like two blocks away from here, I think, (from the area the cop described) and he gave me the name in case I hear it again or anything.

Now, the cop said that he hasn't really talked to him yet, but that this guy is "looney as a toon." How fitting for a Creepo...Now I have to ask if the pin that Ang bought me is true? "Flypaper for freaks?" Matt from UP said I may have to fill out some report for UP's file today and that he'll give me a call or something if need be. But with all the hullabullub of this, I didn't get to sleep until 4am, so I slept in from class and didn't go. What a life I lead. I have yet to tell my parents, I know my mom's gonna throw a fit saying how unsafe it is up here...dear lord help us in that conversation.

All I kept thinking after it happened was that just an hour ago I was in a car with Joe (the guy I’m presently dating) and he was basically doing the same thing this guy did, only I enjoyed it then. And now some Creepo turns it on me and I feel disgusted by it. Man, I just thank god it's over. Yet, a part of me is excited in a way that I got someone arrested, but even more if this is the guy from last semester. I'm pretty glad that I did make the report now, although I was basically a ball of nerves when I was telling the girl about him. I almost started crying. I know worse things happen to people, but still, it's me, it's late and I never expect this kind of thing. I've come home that late at night a bunch of times and never did I second guess where I was walking or what I was doing or who was around me. I always kept my head up, but never encountered anything quite like this.

The morals of the story…

--Look around!!! Open up your eyes. As I said, numerous times I have come home late at night and never thought to watch who was around me, who was where and the whatnot. Anything could happen. I don’t want to make anyone paranoid, but in all realities, just be prepared. Especially on a college campus.

--Don’t be afraid when it happens. I don’t know why I wasn’t when it first happened, but I was mainly just pissed that some guy had the nerve to do such a thing. Then I was just getting over it when I realized that I wanted to tell someone what happened…that’s when the nerves set in. I was shaking; my voice was wavering; I was getting worried. Something worse could have happened to me and thank God it didn’t.

--Stand up for yourself. Men assaulting women (especially late at night and in a sexual way) is not a laughing matter and is not to be tolerated! No exceptions! Report it if something happens. I almost didn’t, and now this guy (who apparently was a repeat offender) was arrested. Don’t be afraid of what people will think, because honestly, this is a big deal. Anyone who I have told about this have all had the same response: Eyes wide open and a muttered ‘Oh my God.’

I think that’s about it and for now I’m off my soapbox…as an update to the story, this was listed in the police blotter of our school newspaper. The man was arrested and charged with two counts of battery. Meaning one of two things: he admitted to more than one instance, or they could prove he did it more than once. And now he has a record.