How to stay safe on campus

Female students walking around on campus are more at risk for assault. This is a major issue that should be addressed and handled in a proper manner, though it can be difficult to know how. 

According to Whitehouse.gov, one in five women will be assaulted during their time in college. As shocking as that statistic is in and of itself, TigerLady, a self-protection device for women, also states that "this figure does not begin to describe the abuse that occurs outside college campuses, and around the country." 

There are ways to prevent being one of these victims, especially as college campus are becoming more wary of campus violence. Here are three things you should be aware of and use in order to keep yourself safe on campus.

1. Know where your blue lights are
College campuses are required to have "blue lights" around campus which have devices that, when pressed, immediately send out a distress signal to campus safety. Campuses place these blue lights in a way that you should never be anywhere on campus without being in viewing distance of a light. However, it never hurts to be aware of where the blue lights are on your campus, especially near parking lots and residential areas.

2. Utilize other campus safety measures
Campuses are more aware of campus violence than ever before, with some taking extra precautionary measures for their students. Check with your campus safety office about extra protection, including portable devices that will alert campus safety outside of the blue lights and even off-campus. 

3. Carry extra protection
You don't have to go so far as having a serious weapon to protect yourself. According to the Federal State Department, their research has shown that 89% of assaults did not involve the use of a weapon and 84% of assault victims reported the use of physical force only.

Devices like TigerLady can be utilized to help women feel safe and more at ease as they walk, run or get to class throughout campus. The device works when you squeeze the hand-held device, immediately exposing three claws between your fingers to fend off and collect DNA from an attacker. "TigerLady provides a dual purpose; holding it provides a feeling of readiness and quiet confidence to the user, and when necessary, TigerLady immediately reveals itself to be a potent self-defense tool shift the balance of power," explains Jeff Levine, co-founder of TigerLady. Feeling safe is often your best defense!

While it's easy to believe that these scenarios may never happen to you, the unfortunate inevitability is that it can. It's important to be prepared in any situation, whether you're on campus, at home or at work. Keep these tips in mind and you'll be a more aware and, in turn, safe individual!