The National Center for Education Statistics provides data current to the year of 2018 pertaining to violent crimes committed across all postsecondary institutions including, but not limited to, assault, robbery, burglary, sexual assault and possession of illegal weapons. In the most recent year, 2018, nearly 30,000 cases were filed on college campuses that contributed to the Education Center’s statistics.
Facebook community groups, police scanner pages and Twitter accounts as well as good comerodary between students has afforded many at the University of Kansas to stay in the know about dangerous situations. However, the crime rate in Lawrence does not appear to be dropping any time soon. Some crime-data reporting agencies list Lawrence as being less safe than 84 percent of cities in the United States. In a town filled with young adults wading through their first years of independence, a number this high is nothing short of startling for the student population and family members who may be hundreds of miles away.
For women especially, the unfortunate truth is a large proportion of these crimes are made up of sexual assault arrests. Outside of the hotline numbers provided by the university and the ride service in the early hours of the morning known as Safe Ride, some students are left to wonder how they should be protecting themselves on campus as reports of crimes continue to be sent within group messages and sent in emails to the entire student body. As a woman myself, I can speak to the fact that I am well informed on the buddy system, sharing my location with trusted friends, as well as which alleys to avoid on a weekend past 10 p.m. Nonetheless, I still am discomforted by the alarming rate of crime that I have experienced within close proximity as a student at the university.
While keeping in mind the safety measures I have already mentioned, it never hurts to feel extra safe when walking alone at night or to your car after work, so I will provide a short list of products to help ease your mind on campus.
Packed with a punch similar to that of a taser, the Damsel in Distress stun gun serves as a deterrent against potential attackers, minimizing the effects of a violent crime and helping to immobilize the attacker in order for you to flee. Powerful but also trendy, coming in pastel colors (I have a teal one) and small enough to fit in your purse, these guns also serve as a flashlight. These stun guns are activated by a small pin that is inserted at the bottom and is attached to a wrist band. This means if an assailant were to try and take the device from you, it would be inactivated without the wrist strap. I would recommend this product to anyone who has a dog who likes to potty at nighttime!
(PS. Ever seen those stylish cuff bracelets/key rings? They offer several styles for the pin strap so you can accessorize with your device!)
Another convenient protection tool small enough to fit on a keychain AND offered in stylish patterns such as cheetah, black snakeskin and floral. Just regular ole pepper spray, in a small pouch equipped with a seal so that it is not accidentally used outside its intended purpose. The reason I mention this brand in specific is because not only are these products designed and produced exclusively for women, but with the purchase of an $11 Pouch O’ Pepper, Damsel in Distress matches your purchase by donating one to domestic violence shelters of its choice. Not only are you looking out for yourself, you are also looking out for others!
If you are a college-aged woman, you have most likely had the fear of your drink being roofied since your first experience at an on-campus bar, or perhaps, sadly, before. While in Las Vegas, this was a fear that stayed at the front of my mind, so I combatted this anxiety by buying a NightCap. These drink covers come inside a scrunchie you can wear on your wrist, then whenever you are ready to use, you simply take it out, stretch the elastic over the top of your drink and insert your straw into the premade hole. How convenient is that! These can be an absolute lifesaver if you’re prone to spilling drinks as well, so it’s a true win-win situation!
Everything you need all in one! Offered in sunflower, marble, zebra, rainbows and many other styles, this keychain set is the perfect addition for your personal safety while remaining discreet. Complete with an alarm, window breaker, a small pouch large enough to hold AirPods or hand sanitizer, and a puffball keychain. I love this brand as it markets its products to doctors and nurses and based its ideas off of the protection the women in Grey’s Anatomy displayed when looking after one another. As a Grey’s Anatomy junkie, I am Izzy Stevens’ level of enthusiastic over this.
In an unpredictable world, it is never a bad thing to be prepared for any scenario. Advise your friends to look into personal protection and always be sure to look out for one another. It is important that Jayhawks have each other’s backs!
If you are a student on KU’s campus and have experienced/witnessed violence and would like to report it, please call 785-864-8888, or KU’s Crime-stoppers line.