Bathroom sex at BU should be a bigger issue

First of all, I would like to say hats off to The Daily Free Press for breaking the story “BU Sex Sting Results in Bathroom Arrests” (Oct 29, pg. 1). This was by far the most compelling article in the Free Press I have read since I have been a student at this university. Frankly, I find it unbelievable that this is the first time this has been reported, considering the officer quoted in the article, Sergeant Jack St. Hilaire, reported that there were 30 incidents so far this year and 50 over the past two years. It seems clear that this is an issue our administration is aware of. I have a few insights about this situation that I would like to share with my fellow students.

First, given the actions of Chancellor John Silber earlier this year in closing down the Gay Straight Alliance at the Boston University Academy, I cannot believe that the administration is not making a bigger deal out of this. All BU students who live in dormitories must swipe Terrier Cards to enter. This is ostensibly for security purposes, but Mr. Silber has also made comments in the past that it is to curtail the sexual activity of students. Does BU really go to great lengths and expenses to monitor entry to our dormitories and then turn around and do little to prevent men who are not even BU students from engaging in sexual depravity in our class buildings?

I quote Sergeant St. Hilaire: “We don’t think this is a big problem, it has been a common activity for a while, but I wouldn’t say it’s an epidemic.” I am not trying to tell Sergeant St. Hilaire how to do his job, but does anyone else find it crazy that the BU Police Department and the BU administration has let this problem grow to the point where BU bathrooms are actually advertised as sex hangouts on the internet? And feel free to check my math but if 30 people have been arrested so far this year for these crimes (with two months to go in the year), and 50 over the past two years, that shows a 50% increase over a one year period. That is a significant rise in any type of crime.

Now I don’t want to blame the BUPD for this because I feel that being an undercover bathroom cop has to be among the top ten worst jobs. If I were to pull this assignment I would be disgusted for several reasons, not the least of which is the thought that eating doughnuts in a men’s room is pretty nasty. In all seriousness though, I hope the administration increases its response to this problem now that it has been brought to public attention.