A recent series of rape incidents raises concerns for the safety of Winston-Salem State University students.
According to a February report in the Winston-Salem Journal from Jan. 1, 2006, to Feb. 12, 2006, there were 21 reports of rape. For the same period this year, 23 reports of rape have been reported, statistics show.
Despite the recent number of local attacks, there doesn’t appear to be a noticeable increase in the number of reported rapes as compared with the same time last year, according to statistics from the Winston-Salem Police Department.
Dr. Melody Pierce, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs & Enrollment Services, sent out a warning email that provided students with safety tips such as walk with an attitude and be ready to handle business and be alert and pay attention to your surroundings. When asked what measures are being taken to ensure student safety, WSSU Crime Prevention Police Officer, Patrick Ansel, referred to a message that had been issued.”There was a crime alert sent out to everyone,” he said. When WSSU considers a crime that might pose a potential threat to students, WSSU members and employees, “Crime Alerts/Timely Warnings” are posted throughout campus.
The crime alert, which was issued on Feb. 12, described the incident of one of the rape victims and gave a physical description of the suspect in question. Although the recent sexual assaults do not involve members of the WSSU community, the police insist that individuals not walk alone and always stay in groups when out at night.
There are some students like 22-year-old Brooklyn native Siobhan M. Kelly, who are not as highly uneasy.
“I am not as concerned, I know how to protect myself because I have lived in cities with high crime rates; however, I am concerned about other females who are not as streetwise.” Other students like Natasha, Young, 32 has some late classes, which makes the computer graphics major more apprehensive when traveling to her car at night. “Campus police should have one car set up in each lot at night, especially for the evening students,” she shared.
As far as the dormirtories, Rams Commons Resident Assistant Zack Sutton shared some of his insight about campus safety, ” It is safe [in the dorms], but some students prop doors open, which may cause a sexual perpetrator to enter and put a young lady in an unfortunate incident.”