The Truth About Campus Crime

As students studying in the heart of that nation’s capitol, we quest for the daily assurance that we are safe in our dorms and in our classes, on the Metro and in the streets. But recently, with three reported sexual assaults, a seemingly high number of burglaries on campus and hateful symbols popping up in unexpected places, some are beginning to express doubt.

GW Radio, in following with one of its primary interests that is, to keep the student body aware of weekly crime, turned once again to the keeper of all crime knowledge here at GW – University Police Chief Delores Stafford.

The recent incidents of sexual assault are discouraging and frightening for many. And, as the chief points out, sexual offenses do not discriminate. Anyone – male or female, young or old, can be a victim. But Chief Stafford did emphasize that the emotion surrounding the occurrences should not cloud the total picture. In fact, from an annual statistical perspective, the recent incidents are projected to be lower than years past. In 2005, an astounding 16 sexual assaults both on and off campus property were reported to UPD. Approaching the end of 2007, only 10.

As for destruction of property/vandalism crimes, the small microcosm that is Halloween tends to create a skewed picture – one of disorder and excessive crime. While that may be accurate on and around October 31st, the fact of the matter is that 209 cases of destruction of property were reported last year, and at a current 178, the 2007 figures are expected to fall fairly close.

So what’s the bottom line? Well, even when a large incidence of crime at a given time may seem to get the best of GW and its greater community, we should keep the larger picture in mind and feel secure in the fact that crime rates, for the most part, have not changed.

To find out more about campus crime you can visit the University Police Department’s website – that’s gwired.gwu.edu/upd. And for strategies to reduce the risk of sexual assault, you can visit the GW Sexual Assault Crisis Consultation Team’s website at gwired.gwu.edu/saccteam.

- Jared Pliner