Wave of Campus Crime Shakes Students

A recent wave of crime on campus has many students thinking about the safety of their daily routines around Foggy Bottom.

Since last week, six different GW Infomail and Crime Alert e-mails have been sent out to students regarding four separate incidents on campus. The crimes have included robbery, aggravated assault, and burglary.

Interviewed students stated that they have begun to feel uneasy about their normal routines on campus. Jackie Geller’11 was shaken by the aggravated assault in Duques Hall last Friday, when a student was allegedly attacked with a hammer at random.

“The fact that [the assault] took place in Duques, which is where I predominantly go to classes and to study, makes me feel less safe,” said Geller. “I know it could happen at a moment’s notice, and there’s nothing you can do to prepare for it.”

Geller said she has changed some of her routines in order to stay safe. She recently decided to study in her dorm room rather than venture out to Duques or Gelman at night.

“You think you’re safe and then you wonder if anything could happen when you’re casually walking around campus. It makes me think again about walking around at night,” said Geller.

Some students were less influenced by the recent crime warnings. Kristi Cole ’13 said that she has taken general safety precautions such as keeping her doors locked and attending a self-defense class, which have helped her feel safer.

“I’m not too afraid. We just have to be really careful since D.C. is a big city, and be aware of our surroundings,” said Cole. “People need to remember that we’re not invincible.”

Many students said that they expected some level of crime when they came to GW’s urban campus, but some expressed a concern in the apparent increase of crime recently.

“It might just be the fact that these crimes have happened in such a concentrated amount of time, but it definitely feels like campus is less secure than last year,” said Laura O’Dea ’12. “I signed up for all the goods and the bads when I chose a city campus, and I just hope these crimes stop soon!”

“There is the potential for danger everywhere you go, especially in the urban environment we live in,” said Lindsey Pace ’11. “It’s a little scary that there are so many violent crimes but I suppose that hard economic times can drive people crazy.”

The University Police Department (UPD) has advised students to take caution and be alert on campus. They stressed the importance of following safety procedures, such as escorting any guests on campus, locking dorm rooms, walking in groups at night, and using the 4-ride shuttle service.

UPD also instructed that students should report any suspicious activity or anything out of the ordinary on campus by calling the UPD emergency line at (202) 994-6111 or the non-emergency line at (202) 994-6110.

Students feeling uneasy on campus may also be interested in self-defense courses offered by the University Police Department. The Rape Aggression Defense Course (RAD) is designed for female students to learn basic self-defense skills and techniques and is offered free of charge. The next RAD class will take place on Oct. 24 and 25 and students can register by contacting Coordinator of Victims Services and Educational Initiatives Erin Harpine at 202-994-0443 or eharpine@gwu.edu.

Jasmin Baveja contributed to this story.