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When Dimity Clancey saw a man enter the parents’ room she quickly realised something wasn’t right.

“My eyes did follow him,” she told Weekend Today.

A shop assistant came to her aid and confirmed that not only was the man in there alone, but he’d apparently been seen there before. She went to fetch security, and Ms Clancey quickly called her husband and got him to take care of the kids – she needed to confront the man for herself.

“I’m not sure what came over me, but it was just like this rage,” she told Weekend Today. “I couldn’t let him go.”

“I chased him because I wanted him to tell me that he was really sorry, that he’d made a mistake and that he shouldn’t do it again, but he didn’t.”

It wasn’t just the violation of the space; Clancey was worried about what the man had been doing in there – and about the possibility he’d taken photos of her children.

“I’d never thought of it as a real issue,” she explained.

“I felt a bit stupid, because I never thought that I had any need to feel unsafe, or that somebody untoward would come into a parents’ room.”

She shared her story to warn other parents of the possibility of predators lurking in parents room.

Have you ever felt unsafe in a parent room?

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  • No – there are so many men being the stay at home parent these days – what is the problem.

    Reply

  • No never felt unsafe in any public facilities.


    • I am very aware of people with cameras in public spaces and not backward in telling people to put them down – children need our protection.

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  • Very scary- that would freak me out. I have never had anything like this happen. That being said I think people need to be careful before jumping to conclusions (obviously not in this case) as I have also read more than one article where dad’s have been abused when tending to their babies’ needs.

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  • Wow, no I haven’t but many years ago they weren’t so common. Parents just need to be vigilant. This woman did all the right things. I don’t have the answer. A pervert or creep such as this man will always find a way. We just need to be vigilant and report and take action.

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  • So just recently I walked into a parents room to fill our water bottles (I have 2 young boys) and did get a few weird and unwelcome looks, I thought it was me until I realised it was because my kids were not with me. I would not want any fellow mums to feel uncomfortable in a parents room, so the question is is it ok for me as a mum to go in alone or is that just as weird as a man being in there alone?

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  • Yes, that would be unsettling indeed. There is usaully a duress button in the parents room but I often feel it isn’t very helpful if they take too long to come.

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  • That’s very worrying indeed, thankfully I have not had an experience like this.

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  • I had a similar creepy incident recently but not in a change room. I allowed my son to play in a semi enclosed toddler play area at a local Westfield shopping centre. I was no more than a step away the whole time (call me a helicopter mum, I don’t care!). Another very much younger child wandered into the play area alone & climbed into the 2mtr high structure getting stuck at the top & started crying. He was too young to ask where his mummy was & I couldn’t see a mum looking for him anywhere, nor could I reach him.
    A man walked up & leaned on the wall surrounding, watching this little boy. I walked up, while hold my son’s hand & asked if he was the Dad of the other child. He ignored me & kept watching him, it was like he had zoned in on this child & couldn’t hear me but I knew he did. This scared me but I raised my voice & asked him again “Are you this little boy’s dad?” He glared at me & said “No!” then walked away but still stood nearby. It took another 5mins for the mother to realise where her child was & come with his twin sister to get him down, but still let them both wander while she sat & had coffee with friends even after I told her of the man pointing him out walking away with a lady. These babies were no more than about 16mths old I’d hate to think what would’ve happened if I wasn’t there.

    Reply

  • Very unpleasant. Can imagine you feel unsafe after an incident like this. Adults without children have no business there !

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  • I know some Dad have to use the parents’ room to change their baby’s nappy.
    It must also be difficult when a Dad has to take his little girl to the toilet. He should be allowed to use parents’ room then too. I will not let a not quite 5 y.o. boy go into the Mens’ Public Toilet alone, especially if it is not my child. Sooner or later if I am caring for him I will have to. I will be standing close to the entry/exit door until he comes out.

    Reply

  • I wouldn’t think that any adult – male or female- would need to enter a parents room without a child?

    Reply

  • That’s creepy and scary. The woman was very brave to follow him and confront him.

    Reply

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