Flashing, streaking often occur after drinking

Whether a result of a drunken dare or something more

psychologically substantial, indecent exposure shocks people from

football stadiums to parking lots.

Streaking is to dash naked in public as a prank, while flashing

is to display or expose briefly, according to Webster’s New World

Dictionary.

Although both are calls for attention, the origins of each may

be unique from one another. Exposing oneself in a parking lot to a

random individual may be more serious than streaking at a public

outing according to Dr. Leonard Meadows of Affiliates in Counseling

and Forensic Psychology, 1217 E. Elizabeth St.

“One is a little more offensive than playful, it may be a way

for certain individuals to relieve stress,” Meadows said. “It can

become an addiction for someone who exposes themselves repeatedly,

while in a crowd situation it is likely to be a one-time

thing.”

Streaking is most often a case of a daring impulse and often due

to the drunken state of the individual.

“It’s a pretty impulsive behavior, definitely more likely when

inebriated because thresholds can be lowered,” Meadows said. “Some

people have the ‘let me shock you’ attitude, they want to impress

their friends.”

While streaking may be all in fun, flashing may have more

serious implications.

“(Flashing) has more about some insecurities, it doesn’t mean

that people are necessarily sexual offenders in other ways but you

wonder how many times they’ve done that before,” Meadows said. “The

person who exposes themselves to someone repeatedly may be more

serious.”

CSU junior Eric Love streaked through the Highlands Ranch Movie

Theatre, in Littleton, as a high school senior.

“It was a Saturday night back in high school, before we drank,

so we had nothing to do,” Love said. “It was a busy night, I

thought it was funny.”

Love’s streaking was basically for the reaction of those

watching, which ended up to be to be a little more than he

expected

“We did it to see people’s reaction,” Love said. “These guys

ended up chasing after us and we were naked.”

Although Love hasn’t streaked recently those who are considering

streaking should know that CSU Police Department takes the act

seriously.

“It is something everyone knows from about five years old you

shouldn’t be doing,” Capt. Bob Chaffee said. “We have to take it

seriously because it doesn’t reflect well on the university.”

Chaffee says CSUPD sees most of its cases right when the first

snow of the season hits, those students who are caught are

reprimanded with university consequences and a petty offense

charge.

“It’s kind of like a food fight,” Chaffee said. “If you don’t

nip it right away it can go out of control.”