Think you’ll never be a dangerous situation? College women who are crime victims never think it will happen to them. The truth is, no campus is perfect and The Forty Acres is no exception. Living in the metropolis that we do, crime exists in many different forms and as collegiettes we are most susceptible to sexual assault, especially when we are alone. You’ve probably heard the usual “don’t walk home alone” or “use the buddy system” but in reality, that doesn’t always work out the way we intend. Crazy things happen at parties, especially when you’re intoxicated, and this can lead to sticky situations.
“Anyone, no matter what, needs to be aware of their surroundings and be able to care for themselves. Always have a backup plan. If you’re going out with a bunch of friends to a party, know how you’re going to get home and what you’re going to do if that doesn’t work out,” Sergeant Davis says. Have a system of communication set up so that someone knows where you are at all times.
You’ve attempted to take such precautions but you find yourself walking back to your apartment in West Campus alone from that late night frat party and a strange man has been following you for blocks. You immediately pick up your cell phone and call your friends you were with but they won’t pick up, so you call your friend from another school so she can at least comfort you until you get home. Bad move.
DON’T: Chat on your cell
Cell phones actually distract you from your surroundings and can make you less aware of the danger around you.
DO: Call for help
“Call someone you know and inform them of the situation, let them know where you are and hopefully have them come get you, but don’t actively talk on the phone,” Sergeant Laura Davis of UTPD and instructor of Rape Aggression Defense System says.
Your phone, if used correctly, can be your secret weapon. Have the right numbers stored so that you will have someone to call at all times. Have the number for a nearby dorm, a cab company, UTPD, and SURE Walk. If you’re heading somewhere late at night on a weekday, call SURE Walk and their student volunteers will accompany you to your destination.
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Unfortunately, things got pretty out of hand and you lost your phone.
DON’T: Walk around alone without your cell
DO: Walk to a busy area and find a phone
Don’t try to hurry home on your own, as tempting as that may be. Instead, walk to The Drag, or another busy area around you and ask an open business to use their phone. Since you probably don’t have your friends’ numbers memorized (who does these days?) have your parents (whose number you hopefully remember) keep their numbers on file as a backup.
You’ve been drinking.
DON’T: Trust strangers
Sure not all guys are out to get you and some who offer to help you may have good intentions, but to be on the safe side, don’t put all of your faith in strangers who offer to help you home or try and get you to go somewhere else while you’re intoxicated.
DO: Plan ahead
If you know you’re going to be out drinking, have at least one of your friends stay sober to look out for the group. If no one is willing to volunteer for the night, know of another friend that is either staying in or staying sober around campus for you to call if you need to. Always have a backup plan.
In many cases, there are simple things you can do to protect yourself. “What you want to do is make yourself a harder target. It’s a lot easier to target someone if they are isolated,” says Sgt. Davis. Whether you’re jogging or walking to a friend’s house, take the route that has more foot traffic or cars and avoid those dark areas where you are less visible. Also, when listening to your iPod, take one ear bud out so you don’t completely cut off your sense of hearing and walk confidently towards your destination.
Want to be even more prepared? Register to take RAD, which is taught on campus at no cost. The program provides you with advice on crime prevention as well as practical physical techniques.
Sources:
RAD: http://www.utexas.edu/police/rad/
SURE walk: http://utsg.org/projects/sure-walk/
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Texas chapter.