Every week during the school year at the University of Boulder Colorado, at least two girls are victims of sexual assault, noted Det. Andrew Kirshbaum of the Boulder Police Department. Most of these incidents happen on the University Hill, a popular partying spot for the students at the university.
Kirshbaum is a specialist who works for the Special Victims Unit at the Boulder police. He works with the sororities and fraternities associated with the university in order to spread the awareness of sexual assault. He wants students to have a safe and happy college experience.
Throughout the past few years Kirshbaum has analyzed the Boulder county sexual assault data. Most of the data cannot be disclosed to the public, but Kirshbaum has come up with four tips to prevent sexual assault for college women.
- Do not ever walk home alone at night
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Last year, 121 girls reported sexual assault in Boulder. Danger is increased when women are alone, especially in densely populated cities like Boulder. Young female college students are especially vulnerable when isolated.
When women go out at night with a group of friends, they should leave all together. Predators look for women who are intoxicated and alone. Take one of these factors out of the equation, and sexual assault is less likely to happen.
Preethi Kumar, a student who lives on the University Hill said, “ever since freshman year, when I went out, I went home with the entire group I went out with. So far, we have never been victims of sexual assault.”
- Fight back
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In certain situations fighting back, especially in regards to sexual or physical assault, is necessary. They should challenge the predator verbally and present a threat. The victim should tell them that they will call the cops. Kirshbaum states that the Boulder police data shows, “victims who fight back fair far better.”
Predators are often just as afraid as the victim, since they want to avoid getting caught.
If the predator is a psychopath, this technique may not immediately work on them, but if someone is in physical danger, fighting back may still be their best chance at protecting themselves.
- Lock Everything
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The most common crime on the University Hill is burglary. In 2018, there were 379 reported cases of burglary in Boulder.
Kirshbaum explains that “the Boulder police data set for the University Hill is crystal clear, if your house is left unlocked, someone is going to come in.”
If everyone locks his or her doors, the burglar will likely not force entry. They are scared of being caught. The burglar knows that there are typically residents in the area that do not lock their stuff, so they explore until they find that unlocked car or house.
One exception is when the burglar is targeting you specifically. If someone has a motive, they will in fact take the effort to break into the house.
Grace Kundred, a junior who lives on the University Hill said, “we had a homeless man living in our garage because we never locked it. But, the second we did, he never forced entry and just left.”
- Share your Location
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Applications like Find my Friends make it easy to know the location of your friends. Before going out, exchange locations with the group or trusted friends and family. If something does happen, it will be easy to locate and help the potential victim.
Uber and Lyft can be dangerous, especially when riding alone. As of August 2018, the website Who’s Driving You? – a public awareness campaign – reported that between 2014 and 2018, about 50 deaths were associated with Uber and Lyft drivers.
A way to prevent sexual assault or other dangers in an Uber is to share your Uber ride through the application. This way all of the ride’s data is known and someone can find you if you do not arrive at your location in a timely manner.
This will also help because when you call 9-1-1 from a cellular device, the police do not receive your exact location.
The University Hill is not a dangerous place, but it is densely populated. Especially on weekends, so bad things can happen. Kirshbaum’s tips can help decrease the number of sexual assaults that occur, but you still need to be vigilant. Be safe and aware, and if something bad does happen, call the police and report it.