Although Halloween has been a long-time tradition, it is important to remind students to be cautious during Halloweekend, or the weekend before or after the holiday, when some activities can expose individuals to unexpected dangers.
While some students might love Halloweekend and use it as an opportunity to de-stress after midterms, it is a scary time for women. They are faced with the dangers of roofies and unwanted physical attention.
Luckily, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has some advice for women so they can still have fun over the holiday weekend. They recommend:
- Not taking a drink from someone you don’t know or trust.
- Watch the bartender make your drinks, or bring sealed drinks from home.
- Eat a snack before going out so your stomach is full.
- Never drive drunk.
Now, even if a woman does all of these things, there is still, unfortunately, a risk factor with going out. In Laramie specifically, popular bars like Roxie’s and The Buck have had accusations made against bartenders about slipping things into women’s drinks while preparing them.
“I recommend not buying drinks at the bar and bringing your own shooters. Which I know is going against me and my work, but nothing else seems to work,” Colleen Cullinane, bartender at Third Street Bar, said.
“And I suggest drinking a full glass of water in between each drink. Without ice.”
The Laramie Police Department also provided some words of caution for this holiday weekend.
“If you are driving, look out for the little ones trick-or-treating” LPD officer Ryan Thompson said. “As for parties, don’t binge drink and stay with friends. Use the buddy system and leave with the same number of people you came with”
Aside from drink safety, considerations should be made for costume and personal space safety.
The National safety council recommends the following:
- Make sure everything is fire-resistant.
- Make sure a friend accompanies you.
- Have a specific meeting time and place at the end of the night.
- Never enter a stranger’s home or car.
- Wear bright colors, so women are more visible to their friends.
- Don’t wear things that might restrict or impair one’s vision (colored contacts, masks, and heavy makeup).
Men on the other hand are at risk for things such as bar fights during Halloween, but Go Health Urgent Care recommends the following so men can still go out and have fun.
- Make sure to have your phone with you at all times.
- Celebrate at home with your close friends.
- Be mindful of others and what they are doing.
- Stick to your own group.
Perhaps the scariest thing of all is even after doing all of these things women could still be at risk for roofies or sexual assault and men still might get into fights. With these tips and tricks, you can still have a fun and safe Halloweekend.
