Male staffer allegedly pulls changing room curtains at Liang Court while woman is in underwear: Police investigates

Police officers were called in after a female customer alleged that a male staffer at an apparel store in Liang Court drew back the curtains and saw her in the changing room while she was clad only in a top and her underwear.

Stomper Busybodyyy alerted Stomp to a Facebook post by the female customer, in which she detailed her account of what had happened in the changing room.

Facebook user Lee Ling said she had visited a female apparel store in Liang Court at about 8.20pm on Friday (June 2) and was trying on some clothing in the "For Ladies Only" changing room.

"The curtains were thick and my area was secured as the curtains were fully drawn," said Lee Ling in her post.

"I then proceeded to try on a few dresses. While I was changing, I heard a female voice asking me if everything was alright.

"I replied her that I was still trying on the clothes."

However, Lee Ling stated that as she was trying on a top clad only in her underwear, she suddenly heard the curtains being drawn back and saw a male staffer putting his head into the changing room and staring right at her.

Furious and shocked, Lee Ling said that she shouted at him and tried to cover herself up, prompting the man to close the curtains.

She elaborated that she hastily changed into her clothes, came out of the changing room and looked around for a staffer.

"I asked the first staff I saw if I could speak to their manager. She said their manager was out of the shop and asked why I was looking for the manager."

So, Lee Ling said that she explained what happened to the two staff members, and said that she was appalled that no one realised that the male staff had opened her changing room's curtains.

"They questioned the male staff and he claimed that he said “Excuse me”, thought that there was no one and thus opened the curtains," mentioned Lee Ling in her post.

As she was explaining what happened, the manager arrived and heard both their accounts of what happened.

Said Lee Ling, "She then stared at me, and after a really long pause said that she would relay this to her higher management.

"And that was all. I stood there appalled by her response. She did not once ask me if I was alright, nor did she ask me if she could assist in anything.

"Basically, she did not do anything at all to try to understand how I was feeling or rectify the situation!"

Lee Ling added that the manager only asked her to speak to the management on the phone after she had called the police.

She responded to say that she would only speak to management after the police had arrived.

"Subsequently, the police and the store's HQ staff arrived, but no one from HQ acknowledged the incident, nor did they try to apologise or say that they would look into this matter," said Lee Ling in her post.

She also added that these points and questions were what she wanted to highlight with the post:

"1) I did not hear anyone said excuse me.

"2) Why is a male staff in a "For Ladies Only" changing room? (This store does not even sell male apparel.)

"3) According to the police, the male staff was deployed to work in the changing room area as they were understaffed that day.

"4) If so, then why do they have a “For Ladies Only” sign?

"5) And if so, why did he open my curtain and not ask a female staff to do so?

"6) Why did the management not acknowledge the incident and kept mum?

"7) Lastly, there was not a single CCTV in the changing area."

Lee Ling also added that she did not post this to slander the company or malign anyone, but to highlight that stores should not overlook security and that customers' safety should be a priority.

"If they do not have doors, they should have hooks to hook the curtains at the very least," asked Lee Ling at the end of her post.

"And no matter how busy the store is, should a male staff be deployed in a for ladies only changing area?"

In response to Stomp's queries, the police said:

"On 2nd June 2017, at 8.39pm, the police were alerted to a case of insulting the modesty of a woman at 177A River Valley Road.

"Police investigations are ongoing."