February 1998

Peeping Toms

Voyeurs spread fear in hostels

by Samantha Wong

Most reports of indecent incidents in university hostels are unconfirmed. Many are only hearsay.

Nevertheless, there is some basis for concern, and the rumour mill has fed people’s anxieties.

In early November, a female student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong reportedly was spied upon by a male student while she was bathing. This is one of the few cases that became public. Many similar events are known only by hostel residents.

Miss Tammy Lam Man Ching, a Year 2 English student who lives in a hostel at Shaw College at the Chinese University, talked about some of the indecent incidents she has heard about.

Photo by Samantha Wong

“I have heard of cases at Shaw College,” said she. “It is said that underclothes have been stolen when female residents washed their clothes.”

Students at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have heard similar stories.

Miss Sylvia So is a Year 3 student who lived in the University’s hostel last year

“I heard that a few years ago, a boy hid in a bathroom carrying a mirror. He used the mirror to spy on a girl who was bathing,” said Miss So. “The girl discovered it by seeing something flashing. The boy was then caught on the scene.”

In order to prevent such incidents from happening, different hostels take different actions.

Shaw College at the Chinese University has met with the residents’
association to seek ways to protect the privacy of female residents.

Assistant Student Affairs Officer of Shaw College Chor Koon-fai explained the initial plans to prevent Peeping Toms from operating in the dormitories.

“First,” said Mr. Chor, “we may keep the doors of toilets locked, and residents will have to use keys to open the doors. But before we do this, the residents’ association has to collect the opinions of the residents.

“Second, the hostel rules are being enforced more strictly. In the past, female and male students have been sometimes found playing mahjong together at night. Now the rules are stricter and warnings will be given on the first violation. If students do not cooperate, they will have to come to see me.

“Students are also encouraged to have discussions in common areas rather than in their rooms. More space will be planned for common areas and more chairs and tables will be provided,” said he.

Mr. Chor added, “The hostel staff are also being instructed how to react when they encounter these events.

“We will publicize these events to make students aware of these incidents.”

However, the plans for improvement may not get overwhelming support from residents.

Miss Chow Pik Lam, chairperson of the residents’ association of Hostel II of Shaw College, explained reaction to a Peeping Tom incident last year.

“About the same time last year,” said Miss Chow, “a girl was spied on when she was bathing. The association then conducted a survey to ask female residents whether they would agree to keeping the doors of the toilets locked. The numbers of students who were for and against the idea were approximately the same.

“Students first found it inconvenient for themselves, as well as for visitors, to go to the toilets. Second, they worried that female residents would be locked inside the by the voyeurs.”

At present, the entrance of the hostel has a security code system and residents have to input a secret code when they come back late at night.

Security code system in hostel toilets.
Photo by Samantha Wong

“The code is changed regularly, and residents are informed of the new code by email,” said Miss Chow.

Miss Lam of Shaw College explained the practice in her hostel.

“After midnight, residents have to sign up when they come back to the hostel,” said Miss Lam. “They have to write down their names, room numbers, time returned and the reasons they came back late.”

The hostels at the University of Hong Kong have adopted another way to prevent strangers from entering.

Students have to input codes while entering the hostels, but also the attendants at the main hall check the identities of visitors.

“If the attendants see strange faces,” said Miss Michelle Li Ho Ming, a Year 1 law student at the University, “they will ask the strangers to show their hall cards to make sure they are hallmates.

“The hall cards are similar to student identity cards. The resident’s name, photo and room number are included.”

Miss Li also said, “In some halls, residents are required to sign in and leave their cards at the entrance when they bring visitors into the hall. When the visitors leave, the residents then sign out and get their cards back.

“Also, residents in other halls are only allowed to bring in one group of visitors at a time.”

As a result, it is difficult for strangers to get into the halls.

“Moreover,” Miss Li said, “if the friends of the residents want to lodge in the hall at night, the residents have to sign for them. Usually female residents sign for female visitors and male residents sign for male visitors.”

In Miss Li’s hostel, boys are not allowed to enter girl’s floors from 10:30 p.m. to 8 a.m.. The residents themselves have developed their own ways to prevent members of the opposite sex from entering their floors at night.

“For example,” said Miss Li, “when a boy enters a floor occupied by girls at night, the girls will be concerned and will ask the leader of the floor to punish the boy.

“As a result, even if a boy wants to find a girl, he stays in an open area such as a stairwell or lobby and asks other girls to forward a message.”

As at the University of Hong Kong, the hostel residents at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have to input codes to get access to the hostels.

However, the codes are not secret, residents say.

“Everyone knows the codes,” said Miss May Ko, a Year 1 student of the University.

“When students know the code of one hostel, they know the codes of all five hostels.”

Students who know the residents can learn the codes, Miss So said.

There are security code systems installed at the doors of the toilets. Female residents have to input codes when they go to toilet.

But according to Miss Ko, the doors of the toilets are not shut very often.

“Female residents keep the doors open for convenience,” said Miss Ko. “There is no fixed time when the door is locked.”

Female residents have different feelings about reports of indecent incidents in hostels.

Miss Lam of the Chinese University is angry. Said she: “There is no reason that female residents should be spied upon.”

She also felt that more should be done to protect the female residents.

“We can do little to protect ourselves,” said she. “The college also does little to protect us. Punishments are not made public and so no caution is given.”

“We do not want to see these events happen in the future,” said Miss Chow. “We should find effective ways to protect female residents.”

Miss Li of the University of Hong Kong said she would be frightened if she heard indecent incidents had happened in the hostel. The only thing she could do is to take precautions.

“When going to toilets,” said Miss Li, “the only thing that can be done is to look around.”

According to Miss Li, there is room for improvement in the toilets.

Since people can look inside the toilets when the door is open, one more door could be built, Miss Li said.

On the other hand, Miss Ko of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology feels quite safe in the hostel.

“At night,” said she, “there are many people at the hostel and many are still dining.

“The rooms are also crowded together. Therefore I do not worry about these incidents.”

[One Country Two Education Systems]