UMPD Escort Decreases

The article, "UMPD escort service use decreases" by The Minnesota Daily writer Alyssa Kroeten caught my attention this past Wednesday. The article touched on the decreasing number of campus escorts within the University of Minnesota in the past few years. Students do not use the service as much as they use to, and I find that to be somewhat unsettling. Since the school year began, there have been various incidences of attacks and robberies on-campus. Almost everyone of those attacks were upon individuals that were alone. Last year, I found comfort in utilizing the campus escort service whenever I walked home from the library late at night. I know plenty of people that did the same, or they would have two of their friends walk over and meet the person. The question I must ask is: why do people put themselves in uncomfortable situations when they don't have to? There are numerous students that walk home alone at night, and I don't think they realize how serious that can be. I find that many people my age find themselves to be invisible, when they are very wrong. The decrease of usage in this service is worrisome, for not only is it a safe-way home but also free. The article touches on how people feel safer now-a-days because they feel they can use their cell phones if something happened. But lets be honest here; an attacker is an attacker; they are not going to give you the time to reach into your purse, pocket, etc., grab your phone, and dial. Even talking on one's phone while walking does not necessarily eliminate danger, because the person on the other line may not know exactly where you are or it can be a distraction. The article recommends always walking with another person, which is the least someone can do when they are out at night. It is unfortunate that with the stress of school, work, etc., students also have to deal with the stress of feeling safe or not. Either way, in order to be safe, people need to be smart and take the proper precautions when going out at night.

Here is the link to the University of Minnesota's safety tips for pedestrians:
http://www.dem.umn.edu/personalsafety.html