A Jacksonville woman says a routine trip to the HomeGoods in River City Marketplace turned sickening when a man tailed her through the aisles and sexually gratified himself while staring at her. She says she filmed him, captured his license plate, called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and was later told officers could not file criminal charges.
According to News4JAX, shopper Rhiannon Alvarez ditched her cart, alerted store staff and recorded video of the man’s behavior. Employees who watched the clip reportedly described it as “blatant.” Alvarez also recorded the man’s license plate before calling police and says officers showed up about three hours later. When News4JAX later requested an incident report, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded that no report existed, though call notes show deputies did respond and logged “no crime committed.”
Why Police Say Their Hands Were Tied
Florida law does not automatically make it a crime for someone to touch themselves in public, and prosecutors have to match conduct to a specific statute as it is written. As outlined in the state’s Florida Statutes, the exposure law focuses on sexual organs that are exposed “in a vulgar or indecent manner,” while other laws, such as lewd or lascivious exhibition, have their own elements and penalties. Without clear evidence of exposure or other required elements, charging decisions can be sharply limited by what officers and prosecutors can actually prove.
Viral TikTok Sparks Outrage and Legal Talk
Alvarez posted video of the encounter on TikTok and, according to News4JAX, it racked up tens of thousands of views and hundreds of comments from Duval County women describing similar run-ins. Frustrated with the legal response, Alvarez told the station, “If this is legal, make it illegal,” and she is urging lawmakers and prosecutors to take another look at the statutes and how they are enforced to protect shoppers. The uproar has revived long‑running debates over how to police sexualized behavior in public spaces when it skirts the technical language of criminal laws.
What Victims Can Do and Where to Get Help
Advocates say anyone who experiences something similar should save any video or photos, note license plates, ask store managers to preserve surveillance footage and request an incident or CAD number from the responding agency. For information about pursuing charges or understanding the process, the Office of the State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit posts reporting and victim-services resources on the Office of the State Attorney. Survivors who need immediate emotional or practical support can contact local groups such as the Women’s Center of Jacksonville, which provides crisis services and rape recovery assistance.
