Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:46:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2019 6:01:11 GMT
Today after our Sunday morning church service it was discovered that someone had smeared poop on one of the bathroom stalls spelling out “Hi!” Then I find out someone had noticed some poop smearing issues a few weeks ago, so it appears to be happening more often. Why?  I had posted a photo of it on our church’s private group as an FYI to talk to your older kids to se did we can nip it. I tried to keep it light by commenting with a gagging gif, more people did the same. But I ended up deleting the gifs because I can’t help but think someone must be suffering from a serious mental health issue to do this. Is it a cry for help? And if it is, what horrible things are they enduring to do that? Or is it just someone being a jerk? |
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Post by mom26 on Jan 7, 2019 6:31:11 GMT
I vote for someone being a jerk. There are a LOT of jerks in this world.
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Post by idahopea on Jan 7, 2019 6:34:56 GMT
I don't know the answers to your questions, but when I worked at a department store many years ago this used to happen in the single public bathroom. It was so disgusting for the maintenance person to have to clean up. They started locking the bathroom and people had to request a key at the front registers. I can't remember if it happened after that or not but people would not always bring the key back and it was a hassle for everyone. You would think the person would reek of poop so someone would notice them, but to my knowledge no one was ever caught. I don't dare to Google it to see what's out there so I hope another pea knows.
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wellway
Prolific Pea
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Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Jan 7, 2019 10:10:30 GMT
Prisoners in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland did that and more (think whole walls) during the troubles as part of a political campaign.
I think you need to bring it to the attention of the whole church, some parent may know which of their children used the facilities and deal with it privately. Plus if everyone knows, then everyone will be watching and making it more difficult to vandalize.
It maybe a cry for help or it might just be a little sh*t with no boundaries.
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Sarah*H
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Post by Sarah*H on Jan 7, 2019 11:17:26 GMT
It is potentially a sign of sexual abuse. Obviously there can be other causes but this a big, red, flashing warning sign.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:46:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2019 11:31:05 GMT
It is potentially a sign of sexual abuse. Obviously there can be other causes but this a big, red, flashing warning sign. Why would you think that with the work " Hi" I could understand your reasoning if the word was " help" I would go with someone being a jerk and out to try and get a shock reaction from people.There are some very strange people with even a stranger sense of humour in this world. |
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Post by bazinga on Jan 7, 2019 11:58:56 GMT
It is potentially a sign of sexual abuse. Obviously there can be other causes but this a big, red, flashing warning sign. Why would you think that with the work " Hi" I could understand your reasoning if the word was " help" I would go with someone being a jerk and out to try and get a shock reaction from people.There are some very strange people with even a stranger sense of humour in this world. When you work with children you learn that playing with feces is a sign of sexual abuse. When something like this is discovered in a bathroom we get a building wide email to pay special attention. Of course, it could be something else, but we need to find out for the safety of the children. |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Jan 7, 2019 12:40:43 GMT
Why would you think that with the work " Hi" I could understand your reasoning if the word was " help" I would go with someone being a jerk and out to try and get a shock reaction from people.There are some very strange people with even a stranger sense of humour in this world. When you work with children you learn that playing with feces is a sign of sexual abuse. When something like this is discovered in a bathroom we get a building wide email to pay special attention. Of course, it could be something else, but we need to find out for the safety of the children. Yes. Playing with/smearing feces as well as enuresis/encopresis is a potential sign of trauma or sexual abuse in children (past or present trauma). The word that was used is probably not relevant. |
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jan 7, 2019 12:46:56 GMT
I sit on the local Parks Foundation and we had a recurring problem with this in the bathroom at any area park. Neighbors who kept an eye on the park believed it to be college students. It's a really gross and very difficult issue to deal with.
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Post by not2peased on Jan 7, 2019 13:53:40 GMT
our local gas station had this issue-it was a man with intellectual disabilities that lived in the neighborhood
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:46:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2019 14:22:10 GMT
So sorry.
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Post by rst on Jan 7, 2019 14:34:47 GMT
I wouldn't assume that it was a child. It's a common issue with dementia sufferers as well.
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Post by workingclassdog on Jan 7, 2019 14:47:16 GMT
Oh my goodness.. at church?? That is so sad if this person is suffering from mental illness... and totally wrong if it is just some random person being a jerk.
I have to say, it's part of my daily life now at work. Prisoners do it ALL the time.. they cover their windows in it.. flood their toilets..(and I am sure most of it is mental illness).. thank God I don't have to deal with it or see it.. but I see the reports and that just makes me want to vomit.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:46:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2019 17:52:50 GMT
I get the impression it’s not a child, the handwriting was that of an older person.
I worry about the possibility of sexual abuse. You don’t ever want it to happen to anyone but there are sick people everywhere. I wouldn’t even know where to begin finding out who it is, or how to help this person.
I just spoke to our cleaning lady and she said last week she had to scrub that same stall completely because someone had smeared poop all over.
On one hand I find it so disgusting and want this person caught. On the other hand if it is abuse I could cry that someone is calling out for help.
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Rhondito
Pearl Clutcher
MississipPea
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Post by Rhondito on Jan 7, 2019 17:59:38 GMT
Is there a way the church could assign a bathroom monitor? It could possibly discourage the person from continuing this behavior or it might also be a way to catch them.
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Post by annabella on Jan 7, 2019 18:22:44 GMT
My gym used to get things stolen out of the lockers so they put a sign up on the door of the men's locker room, surveillance cameras inside. You might need to do that. If the person continues, then you would know who entered which stall. It's not fair to the cleaning lady for her to have to continue to have to clean it up. If you don't have kids changing clothes in the public area of the restroom, then I don't see why it would be an issue to have cameras inside?
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:46:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2019 18:27:26 GMT
Are any of the members on the Autism Spectrum or have SPD?
My son has Autism, SPD, short bowel syndrome, etc and went through a poop smearing phase. Many kids (not all) who are on the spectrum do this.
Its not related to abuse or trauma.
Its strictly a sensory thing. Gross for sure but happens.
Maybe have bathroom monitors???
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julieb
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Post by julieb on Jan 7, 2019 19:15:37 GMT
When you work with children you learn that playing with feces is a sign of sexual abuse. When something like this is discovered in a bathroom we get a building wide email to pay special attention. Of course, it could be something else, but we need to find out for the safety of the children. Yes. Playing with/smearing feces as well as enuresis/encopresis is a potential sign of trauma or sexual abuse in children (past or present trauma). The word that was used is probably not relevant. I agree with this. It was happening at our grammer school and unfortunately, the investigation of who and why determined that this was the case. Very sad. |
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Post by 950nancy on Jan 7, 2019 19:17:18 GMT
If you work in an elementary school, you see this kind of stuff every now and then. Lots of reasons kids do this. It is gross though.
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