You probably have noticed an abundance of incident awareness reports posted around campus lately. They are posted for a reason and should not be taken lightly. In the past week, several RPI students have been attacked while walking alone after dark—even as early as 8 pm.
These incidents aren’t limited to students residing off campus, just as break-ins aren’t limited to students living on campus.
Public Safety does their best to prevent these incidents, but they cannot be everywhere at once and some of the incidents occur outside of their coverage area. As students, we need to take responsibility for ourselves.
First and foremost, travel in groups whenever you can, especially at night. Of course, this isn’t always realistic, especially if you’re making a trip to the VCC at 3 am. At this point, it’s time to take advantage of the escort service provided by Public Safety; you can use it 24 hours a day. If it’s practical and you have a car, use it. It’s a lot harder to be attacked while riding in a car with locked doors.
Of course, taking care of yourself isn’t limited to traveling at night. We’re often most vulnerable where we feel safest—at home. Remember to keep the doors and windows locked to your room or apartment, even if you’re inside and especially if you live on the first floor of a building.
Staying safe isn’t hard, it’s just a matter of using common sense. By taking responsibility for yourself, you can significantly reduce the likelihood that you’ll become the next incident report.
