You’d think avoiding public indecency would be common sense, but apparently not for everyone. A New Orleans resident was recently horrified to find an unknown man standing outside her home in the Irish Channel neighborhood. As if dealing with a random stranger outside wasn’t unsettling enough, things took a disturbing turn when they realized the man was openly masturbating on the streets of Louisiana.
Shaken by the experience, the resident shared what happened on Reddit, saying it occurred around 8:05 PM. “I’m kicking myself for not getting a clear shot of his face but I panicked,” user not_raisin wrote, hoping someone might recognize the masturbating man from the photos. According to the post, he was wearing a dark hat, white shirt, and beige or white shorts.
The man fled as soon as he realized he was being recorded. Police were called, but he was long gone by the time they arrived—assuming they ever did. According to the original poster, no officers showed up even after they waited for two hours. Now, the New Orleans resident is hoping fellow Redditors might recognize the exhibitionist.
Other users quickly offered their sympathy to not_raisin. While no physical harm occurred, the experience was still disturbing and possibly even traumatic. “That is gross. I’m so sorry you have to deal with this!” one commenter wrote.
Some users suggested reaching out to local authorities or neighborhood groups. Not_raisin said their friends and landlord had already come by to check in, and they are planning to install security cameras for peace of mind.
“You can also get trail cams, especially if you know any hunters. They aren’t terribly expensive for a basic one. Some can even record in the dark, and many will capture full color during the day. They’re motion-activated and usually save the footage onto an SD card,” one user suggested.
Others asked if the man had any distinguishing features that might help with identification. The New Orleans resident said he had no visible tattoos but described him as a Hispanic man, likely between the ages of 30 and 45.
Another Redditor even shared their personal experience of encountering someone like the masturbating man. “This has happened to me before, both in New Orleans and in other places. It’s incredibly violating and destabilizing because they often appear out of nowhere. But what I’ve learned is that most voyeurs are actually harmless cowards who would never approach you or escalate the situation into something more dangerous,” the user wrote.