Linette Garcia | Staff Writer
Walking down GC in the dark with my phone on emergency speed dial and a mini pepper spray keychain in hand— this is the experience faced by numerous women in college.
Of course, I want to leisurely walk around MMC at night without anxiously scanning my surroundings for suspicious behavior, enjoy my drink without concealing its opening to prevent someone from tampering and wear weather-appropriate attire without fear of being groped or subjected to catcalling.
Unfortunately, my environment and personal safety are constantly at the forefront of my mind.
Violence against female-identifying college students is still highly prevalent despite the increasing attention from the general public. Women between the ages of 18 and 24 are predicted to be three times as likely than any other demographic to experience sexual violence.
Victims of sexual assault are sometimes reluctant to report such incidents, resulting in a more frequent recurrence of the issue.
To remedy this, FIU has implemented several programs and resources to promote and empower women’s safety throughout their time on campus. However, no amount of assets would solve these systemic issues—the paranoia persists.
Then there’s the student health center and FIU’s media platforms raising awareness of violence against women and providing resources such as workshops and counseling services.
But this is more about teaching and informing us of a problem that, to be honest, women are already completely aware of.
And these challenges of being a female college student are not restricted to campus, they extend beyond campus boundaries and are typically overlooked.
As someone who went to her first-ever Halloween college party at an FIU dorm, it’s safe to say it might also be my last.
When I glanced around the apartment, I couldn’t ignore the glaring red flags: groups of women shying away from a man, a guy dragging a girl to a bathroom and men scrutinizing women swaying amongst themselves.
After an hour of awkward dancing, my friend and I called it quits and on our way back to campus, a mass of men indiscreetly followed us—hollering unsolicited comments and whistling for our attention—and my mind shifted into high gear.
Maybe I was being overly paranoid, or I was an unwitting pawn in their weird chess game, but either way, this is the reality female students face whenever they go out.
Safety shouldn’t be the only thing on our minds in a setting where students are expected to learn, connect with friends and discover their self-identities, especially when it comes to severe crimes like sexual misconduct.
The safety of women on and off campus must be prioritized by everybody.
Regardless of the situation, FIU should amplify the most vulnerable voices who are afraid to make themselves known.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing writers and/or university community members.
About Post Author
