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Sororities at a notable university in Southern California are stepping up their security measures amid ongoing harassment incidents involving homeless individuals, which have left many students feeling uneasy. According to recent reports, the UCLA Panhellenic Association has taken the initiative to hire private nighttime security to patrol the sorority row, a stretch of Hilgard Avenue within the bustling Los Angeles campus.
This action comes after numerous reports from young women who have encountered aggressive behavior and inappropriate remarks from homeless individuals. These incidents have prompted criticism of the campus police for their perceived lack of responsiveness to the students’ plight.
In a telling account, 20-year-old student Ani Hovanesian expressed her frustration following a meeting with the University of California Police Department (UCPD). “The meeting didn’t go well,” she noted. “They seemed unaware of the issue and not really proactive. They kept turning it back on us, asking why we weren’t calling 911 or reporting these incidents. But we have been, and that’s precisely why we’re reaching out to them.”
The UCLA Panhellenic Association, known as the largest women’s association at UCLA, has thus taken matters into their own hands, ensuring that private security keeps a vigilant watch over the area to protect its members and maintain a safe environment for all. The decision underscores the growing concern for safety within the urban college setting.
“We had a meeting with UCPD a few weeks ago and it didn’t go well,” 20-year-old student Ani Hovanesian told The Post. “They seemed unaware of the issue and not really proactive. They kept turning it back on us like ‘why aren’t you calling 911 or reporting any of this’ and it’s like ummm, we are and that’s why we’re here.”
Another student, 20-year-old Catherine Nichley, said she doesn’t feel “completely safe.”
“The weird part is that it’s usually the same three homeless men hanging around this row, typically between 40 and 60 years old, often sitting at the bus stop,” she told The Post.
She described one man, dubbed “The Hilgard Screamer,” who randomly yells at all hours of the day and night.
The Apha Phi sorority house UCLA’s sorority row taken on an unknown date. (Google Maps)
“These men stare into your soul,” Nichley told the outlet. “They make lewd comments, and I’ve actually yelled back, ‘What are you looking at?’ because it feels so creepy.”
Another sorority member said she rarely sees campus police in the area, and that she feels safer walking near the fraternity houses, where there is a larger police presence. She added that sometimes, homeless people sleep on the lawns of the sorority houses.
The University of California Police Department said it conducts regular patrols in the area.
Janss Steps on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles on Oct. 20, 2017. (MichaelGordon1/Getty Images)
“UCPD takes seriously the concerns students have raised about harassment and unsettling behavior near Hilgard Avenue. Students should feel safe where they live, study and walk near campus, and we are listening closely,” the department told Fox News Digital.
“UCPD conducts regular and directed patrols in the area, including increased evening presence, and continues to work with campus partners, student leaders and chapter stakeholders to address concerns and connect students with support,” the department added.
Fox News Digital reached out to UCLA Panhellenic Association.