UWO washrooms used for sex romps

Website identifies rendezvous sites

By Jill Shaw
Gazette Staff

According to a website, several locations around London –including on on-campus– are popular sites for public sex between men.

The website –www.squirt.org – enables users to find public locations for casual male sex in cities across Canada. Locations are listed in categories such as public washrooms, truck stops, rest areas and parking lots, bathhouses and saunas, cruising areas and parks.

Each location is rated, includes directions on how to get there, warnings of potential visitors and how to express interest in engaging in sexual behavior.

The bathroom in the Thames Hall basement is described as having peep holes in the cubicles, being busy in the mornings and after classes and attracting a wide variety of patrons. As well, according to the site, a tap of the foot is an invitation for oral sex.

Peter Mercer, Western's VP-administration, said he was unaware of the website, but noted there have been similar problems in the past at Western

According to Mercer, several years ago holes were being drilled into the partitions separating bathroom cubicles, but repairs were made.

Squirt.org also lists other London locations frequented for male-to-male sex, such as Gibbons Park, Reservoir Park, the bathrooms in the downtown London Public Library and Galleria Mall.

Darrel Skidmore, chief executive officer of the London Public Library, said the library is now encouraging staff vigilance and asking male staff members to patrol the bathroom.

"It is inappropriate for people to be doing this type of activity," said Ward 4 city councillor Bill Armstrong.

"Arrests had been made in the central library and Victoria Park bathrooms as a result of information about cruising locations from the website," said Const. Ryan Holland of the London Police Department.

According to Paul Whitehead, a Western sociology professor, being arrested in that situation can be devastating for men.

"They tend to frequent places at times when they are less apt to be occupied." he said.

"Men who are gay, who have not come out, appear more likely to participate in that kind of sex," he added.