A Woman’s Guide to Campus Safety

Gainesville is not a great place for young women right now.

As of early Friday, September 5 the University of Florida Police Department has reported three assaults of women on or in the campus area.

Gainesville Scene already talked about the possible changes that need to happen on campus, but there are some simple tips that all women need to take into account for their own personal safety.

Here a few things to remember:

Share your schedule with a friend.

Your roommate. Your mom. Someone. Someone needs to know your schedule as well as you do. If you don’t get home when you’re supposed to. If you miss a commitment, someone knows where you were supposed to be and, more importantly, that you didn’t make it to your location.

I’m not saying you need to have your roommate’s entire life scheduled. The main idea is to have at least one person you can trust to have your back.

Find someone to walk home with.

We usually don’t even go to the bathroom alone. When did we decide walking alone to our apartment downtown is a good idea? Making friends in your classes is never a bad idea. Find out who else lives at your apartment complex or in your dorm area.

If you don’t feel comfortable asking your new peers where they live for seemingly no reason, use this as a time to be a follower, not a leader. Walk with the crowd that seems to be going in your direction. Especially in the case of night classes, walking home with a perfectly good stranger can be significantly better than being approached by a less than perfect one.

Know what buildings are still open.

Did you know Target Copy is open 24-hours?

If you feel uncomfortable, know the safe buildings you can step into in case of an emergency. This will give you time to take a breath, ward off panic and think of the next best thing to do.

More importantly, if you’ve lost your phone, businesses should have a phone that you can use to call the most appropriate person for the situation.

Don’t be afraid to phone a friend.

Use your lifelines.

No one wants be that girl who is always mooching off someone for a ride, but when your life is in jeopardy you won’t be concerned about your status as a freeloader. Have a friend saved in your favorites that you know will come and get your after hours.

Your other friends should include the blue light services that provide you with a police escort home. You should always know where the blue lights are located and the closest one to your classes.

Also remember that SNAP (Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol) can pick you up. SNAP isn’t just for your nasty drunk nights at midtown.

You can use SNAP through the app “SNAP UF” or you can call 352-392-SNAP (7627).

Keep these ideas in mind to continue having a safe and successful semester. Remember, if you do have any information on the possible suspect in these recent crimes, contact the Gainesville Police Department (352-393-7670) or Crimestoppers (352-372-STOP).

Featured photo courtesy of: flickr.com

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