Tag Archives: college safety

campus security, college housing, parenting

5 College safety tips for women

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college safety for womenCollege can be an adventurous, validating and exiting time in a young woman’s life. Unfortunately, there are predators out there that put many of these young women’s innocence and lives in danger. According to statistics, college women are most in danger of being sexually assaulted or raped – up to 20% more likely. The numbers are staggering and college women are far more susceptible than other women in our society. While this is a sad and heartbreaking truth, there are a number of ways that women can stay safe and protect themselves. One of the best ways to do this is to be less vulnerable as possible and to be completely aware at all times. Here are 5 college safety tips for women.

  1. Always be prepared. It might be smart to take classes in self-defense. In many communities there are basic combat training programs that can teach a young woman what to do in the frightening instance that someone is trying to attack them. They will learn how to preform chokeholds, assault prevention tactics, and even learn how to use certain common items, like car keys as weapons. It might also be smart for young women to carry pepper stray in their purses.
  2. Always travel with one or two other people. If you are at a party, make sure to walk home with a friend or two. Or ask someone that you can trust to take you home, either by walking or by car. Most incidents of attacks and sexual assaults happen to women who are walking home at night, alone.
  3. Always be alert. If you are walking home alone and it is getting dark, be extremely aware of your surroundings. If you hear a sound or if you think someone is following you, immediately call the police or have your phone ready to dial 911. If you do get attacked, at least the police will be on the way to protect you and apprehend the suspect.
  4. Always keep an eye on your drink if you are out at a party or a bar. There are too many instances where a young college woman will be at a party, goes to the restroom and leaves her drink unattended. This can make you highly susceptible to a date rape scenario, because there are people just waiting to drug your drink in order to render you incapacitated. It can be extremely frightening for a young woman to wake up in completely unfamiliar surroundings and not know how she got there or if she has been taken advantage of. Go to a hospital immediately if this happens so that you don’t destroy evidence that can be used against your attacker and be sure to mention you have Florida health insurance or health insurance from any other state and you believe you have been attacked,
  5. Lastly, don’t ever be afraid to call the campus police to escort you back to your apartment or dorm room. It is always better to be completely safe, than sorry in the instance that you are out late and need to walk home in the dark. You’ll thank yourself when you are safe and sound in your room.
campus security, college guidance, college planning, parenting

Preparing for College: Safety First

In a few short weeks, your child is going away to college – either for the first time or another year. That reality brings with it an overwhelming number of emotions for most parents. Excitement for the new experiences they will have, but also worries for their safety and ability to thrive on their own. So many questions run though your mind as the countdown begins. Have you prepared your child for this big step? Will he or she be able to take care of themselves? Make the right choices? But most important of all, is your child safe? Thanks to the wonders of information technology, you can send your child to college with powerful safety tools that keep you connected no matter the miles between you.

Creating a virtual safety tool kit for your child’s Smartphone is a great way to take advantage of the latest information technology. It’s as easy as downloading a few key apps. One basic app that can be useful to your child in all kinds of situations is a simple flashlight app. Downloading this app, for example, can help your college student locate their keys before entering an apartment or dorm at night. More involved applications like the WebMD app, put tons of valuable health information at your child’s fingertips. WebMD allows you to document any conditions your child may have, such as any allergies; it lists nearby hospitals, pharmacies, and doctor’s offices and includes a first aid guide for emergencies.

An all-in-one emergency response app can be beneficial to your child’s safety too. Apps like The Safety App Plus allow parents to request the safety status of their college student, giving them an instant visual update of their child’s current or last known address. The app also helps you to prepare your child for weather emergencies, by providing real-time emergency weather alerts. Its patented technology allows The Safety App Plus to send and receive text messages even when voice and data networks are overwhelmed which is common during disasters and emergencies.

The Safety App Plus can be used by both you and your college student to…

  • Request a safety status, automatically supplying you with the GPS location of your college student or of a lost or stolen phone.
  • Access real-time emergency weather alerts, a checklist of emergency supplies and important online resources while on a road trip.
  • Send group or individual messages when data and voice networks are overwhelmed, such as during large campus events or disasters.

As an incentive for more families to benefit from the robust features of The Safety App Plus and in observation of National Preparedness Month, the app is now only $0.99.

Sending your child away to college doesn’t have to be wrought with worry for you or your child. With the right tools, you can stay connected and help them stay informed and prepared in the event of a weather or other emergency. For more information on The Safety App Plus visit www.thesafetyapp.com or follow them on twitter @thesafetyapp.

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Today’s guest post was contributed by Lisa Barclay DiBenedetto, the president and founder of LDB communications, a successful marketing company. Lisa is the mother of four children, the oldest of whom is a junior at Northern Illinois University. Keeping her family safe has always been a priority, as well as spending as much time with her teenage children as they will allow.  

campus security, dorm life, Guest Posts, parenting

Prepping your College-Bound Student in College Safety…

…without them tuning you out!

It’s a proud feeling to have your son or daughter go off to college, but it’s a little scary for us parents at the same time, isn’t it? We go from making the rules and having them live under our roof to our kids being out on their own and making their own decisions, in the blink of an eye. Sure, we trust them and know they’ll do the right thing, but what happens if they find themselves in an unsafe situation, or with a person who doesn’t have their best interests in mind? It’s tempting to let our fear manifest itself into a lecture on college safety, but that’s probably going to fall on deaf ears – we don’t even like being lectured! Read up on prepping your college-bound kids on personal safety in college, without them saying “Ugh, Mom!”

Want to “Sit Them Down”? Resist!

How many times did your parents “sit you down” as a kid to discuss a weighty topic? More often than not, you tuned them out or felt they were making a bigger deal out of a situation. Prevent this from happening by mentioning personal safety casually in the months leading up to college – if you’re doing the dishes, mention to your daughter that you know after a long night class, it might be tempting to take the unlit shortcut path, but rapists really do exist on college campuses. While you’re grilling dinner, talk about how pepper spray is the perfect size for your pocket and purse, so it never hurts to have it on hand. Casually adding safety tips and advice into your normal conversation presents them in a non-threatening manner, helping your soon-to-be college freshman absorb these tips and heed them.

Provide The Information, and Let Them Lead

Your future college student is a young adult, and although they will always be your child, it’s time to let them take the lead. Email your son or daughter a few links once a month or so to college safety blogs and personal safety tips. Keep it minimal – just three or so links here and there. If email isn’t your thing, simply print out the articles and leave them on your son or daughter’s bed. Then, leave it up to your son or daughter to read the information. You won’t be prodding, so they are much more likely to actually read the articles.

Give Them The Essentials

Your son or daughter may want to buy pepper spray and personal safety alarms, but the summer is going to go by fast. Instead, consider personal safety items just another college essential. If pepper spray is legal in your state, pick it up for your son and daughter. Same with a small flashlight and a keychain personal safety alarm so they can quickly sound a piercing alarm if they’re in a threatening situation.

By casually talking about personal safety to your college-bound student, providing them with the info and tips they need, and giving them the safety essentials for college effectively arms your son or daughter with the safety tips to ensure their college experience is filled with only happy memories! Share your own college safety tips and advice by leaving a comment below.

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Today’s guest post was provided by SpyTown.com. We have kids of our own here at SpyTown.com, and we know a thing or two about sending our kids off to college and helping them stay safe and secure. From Pen Cameras to help them record info in class to Home Security Cameras for their apartment to deter theft, we’re your experts for security equipment and college safety advice!