It’s late at night, and you’ve just finished cramming in the library for your big midterm tomorrow, and your sleepily making your way back by taking the dark short cut that will get you home faster, when you see a shadow slinking in the dark; the figure of a man approaches and begins to follow you, making your hair stand on end, and your nerves sky rocket. In the end, you make it home safely; however, coming from the eeriness of the situation, you wonder what steps could be taken to make you feel safer at night around campus, or anywhere else.
For some students at San Francisco State University, this scenario is all too real, and sometimes doesn’t end well. On Wednesday, September 30th, a sexual battery incident occurred at 7:00 p.m., when the victim was walking between Burk Hall and the Gymnasium, according to an SF State Clery Safety Alert email, which was sent out to SF State students on Thursday, October 1st.
According to the report, the victim was approached by an unknown male suspect who followed the victim to the lobby of Burk Hall. The suspect talked to the victim, and then, “grabbed the victim above her hips, lifted her up, and pressed his face against her stomach and breasts while he lowered her to the ground. The suspect then sat the victim on a bench in the lobby, held onto her hand, and kissed her face several times,” the report said. The victim was followed by the suspect to the Muni platform, where the victim was finally able to loose the suspect, when boarding a bus to leave campus, the report stated. According to the report the victim did not sustain any injury.
Furthermore, in the past six weeks alone, there have been two counts of battery, one count of sexual assault with a foreign object, and one count of assault on a person occurring on campus in the evening or late afternoon hours, according to the SF State Crime, Arrest and Fire Log from the University Police Department website.
However, there are a few resources and methods that students can use to help ensure their safety around campus.
One resource that is available for all students here at San Francisco State University is The C.A.R.E program, otherwise known as, the campus alliance for a risk-, free environment. The goal of the C.A.R.E Center, as written on the C.A.R.E Program Page on the University Police Department website, is to have a, “responsibility to develop and implement programs designed to ensure that its students, faculty, and staff enjoy their years at San Francisco State as free as possible from threats to their personal safety or well-being.”
The C.A.R.E Program provides a student escort service, which is available from sunset until midnight, seven days a week, according to the C.A.R.E Program page. So if you have to walk back to your dorm or apartment on campus late at night, and feel worried about walking by yourself, then you can call the escort service, where according to the website, regular University Police Officers will be available to escort you when the C.A.R.E members are not on duty. To arrange for an escort you can call (415)-338-7200. When you call, you must specify to the dispatcher where you are, and where you’d prefer to meet; within 10 to 15 minutes a C.A.R.E member or University Police Officer will arrive to walk you home, or where ever your going with piece of mind.
Another tool that is available for students or anyone who wants to take precaution at night or any time of the day is the “EmergenSee” app, which is a personal safety app that you can download from the Apple App Store, or the Google Play store. This app is like a virtual police escort, and connects you to a pre-set safety contacts list. The trusted friends or family on your safety contact list can see and hear where you are in real time during a situation. It also boasts a professional monitoring subscription, and provides you with “Tier 4 Homeland Defense Certified Monitoring Center”, according to the EmergenSee website. Security operators can receive live videos and gps alerts, communicating with you in real time. In a dangerous situation they can dispatch the nearest emergency responder to your location.
The app has many preventative safety features, and features that can help you if you’re already in a dangerous situation. For example the gps map can follow your every move with a breadcrumb trail and track your location, and relay the information to your pre-set safety contacts, who can see where you are and call for assistance if needed. It also has a “SafeWalk-Precautionary Escort,” which will provide you a security operator live video escort, whom will stay with you until your reach your destination.
The final resource that anyone can use to help keep themselves safe is your own self awareness. Always be aware of your surroundings and use good judgment. When walking alone at night, don’t have your headphones plugged in; tune yourself in to your surroundings, so that you are more aware if you need to take action during a suspicious situation. Avoid walking down unlit paths, or out of the way short cuts. If you can, walk with a group of people, or a friend. Don’t walk or talk with someone whom you feel uncomfortable with, trust your instincts and consider having a can of pepper-spray at your disposal. And if at any time you feel your well being or safety is threatened call University Police or 911.