A University of Winnipeg staff member says a man tried to look into the campus bathroom stall she was in.

The woman spotted the man on Tuesday morning, police said — the same day NDP MLA Nahanni Fontaine reported someone tried to film or photograph her inside a washroom at The Forks.

In the U of W case, the staff member said she went into a washroom stall around 8 a.m. then heard someone else enter the bathroom.

She then saw a man crawling on the floor, looking under stall doors, before he stood up and peered through a gap in her stall. The woman yelled and the man ran off.

The peeper is described as 20 to 25 and about 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9, with an average build and short dark hair.

"Washroom safety is one of those issues that's kind of in the forefront at the moment. It's a good time to remind people to be aware and to be diligent," said police Const. Tammy Skrabek.

"Unfortunately, when you're locked in a bathroom stall and in that situation, there's not a lot you can do. Yelling for help is the biggest thing because nine times out of 10, that is going to scare the person off and hopefully attract attention outside the washroom."

Leave as soon as it's safe and get help immediately, she said.