This July, a 20-year-old psychology major at the University of Iowa went missing on an evening jog in her rural hometown. Her body was found in a cornfield a month later, with “multiple sharp force injuries,” according to the Iowa State Medical Examiner. Her name: Molly Tibbetts.
Although her story has captured national attention for other reasons – the Trump Administration and various political pundits used the murder suspect’s uncertain immigration status to push an immigration policy agenda – like other tragedies it catches peoples’ eye because it reminds us the world isn’t always a safe place.
A far more common danger for college students than abduction and murder is sexual assault and rape.
According to a 2015 Association of American Universities report, 11 percent of all college students report experiencing rape or sexual assault. Of undergraduate students, 23 percent of females and 5 percent of males experience rape or sexual assault. In addition to these stats, the majority of sexual assault and rape incidents go unreported.
Those who experience sexual violence are by no means responsible for preventing the behavior of their abusers. Asking victims what they were wearing, how much they had to drink, if they spoke up for themselves, if they did anything that might be misinterpreted – all these are victim-blaming tactics. The answer to any of these questions does not change the fact that the perpetrator and perpetrator alone is responsible for an assault or rape.
Still, it’s better to be safe than to be right.
There are a lot of small things you can do to improve your personal safety. First is being aware of your surroundings. When out of doors alone, don’t be distracted by texting or music – be aware of people or cars around you, or whether you’ve walked into an area with few people and poor lighting. Familiarize yourself with campus and the locations of emergency phones (the poles with blue lights). Walk in areas that are well lit. Carry a whistle, alarm or pepper spray.
Better yet, don’t walk alone. Go with a buddy, a group or call campus security for an escort. At the very least, let someone else know where you will be, when you’ll be home and that you have arrived home. Lock all doors – dorm room, house and car door. Lock the car as soon as you get in, especially if you’re sitting there checking your phone, makeup, etc. If you’re in an elevator with a stranger who makes you feel uncomfortable, get off at the next floor. Take a self-defense class.
An often-neglected part of personal safety is maintaining online privacy. Check that your view settings are limited to friend-only, and consider who on this list can view photos that are suggestive or include nudity. Most importantly, avoid posting sensitive information like phone numbers or the address of where you live.
Although no one is immune to tragedies like Mollie Tibbetts.’ death, we can all take small steps to reduce our chances of harm.
