You’ve been told time and time again that campus is a dangerous place and never to go out at night unless you are walking with a large group and take all the well-lit streets. Let’s be honest, we have all been out on those darker streets at night with only a friend or two–maybe even on our own a few times. We’ve all come back safe with no problems at all, so why worry?
This is my third year at Ohio State and I haven’t had a single issue walking around, that is, until earlier this month. My roommate and I were at the corner of 17th Avenue and High Street three Saturdays ago at about 11:30 PM. We never considered taking the bus, calling Student Safety Services or making sure we were with a few more people. There were plenty of people outside and we weren’t venturing off of High Street. Unfortunately, none of that mattered. As we were minding our own business, we were mugged. A group of five girls attempted to steal my friend’s wallet as they passed us on the street. They were unsuccessful the first time, so they all turned back around. The girls then grabbed me and my roommate and started to beat us until they got what they wanted and fled. I wouldn’t have written this article if either of us were badly injured. Several bumps, bruises and a black eye and we’re both fine. We were really lucky. Soon after the incident took place, I called the cops, who showed up shortly after. All five of the girls were caught and arrested.
The reason I’ve decided to tell my story is not to get sympathy, but to bring everyone back to reality. It can happen to you. It doesn’t matter if you’ve walked the path a million times, if it’s a well-lit street or even if there are plenty of people around. My possibilities of getting mugged were just as likely as yours. And don’t think that you’ll be okay if you have a guy or two with you–there was a reported case the following week where two girls faced the same trouble. The two girls were in a group with two other girls and two guys.
Another point I would like to make is don’t count on other people to help you if you end up in a predicament. With it being a Saturday night, there were plenty of people around when we were mugged. I’m thankful that none of the bystanders around jumped in, but no one even thought to call the police for us. If the cops were called when everything took place, they could have helped to break up the unfair attack.
So please, do yourself a favor and take every precaution possible. Take a taxi if you are even the slightest bit worried or call Student Safety Services (614-292-3322) to arrange a ride. Get to your destination safely. If you do spot trouble on your way, do everyone a favor and call the police. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
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