It’s been a scary time on campus lately. For a relatively smaller campus, in a low crime environment, we’ve had some pretty frightening occurrences. I believe in always advocating for personal safety, so here are some tips and tricks to stay safe on campus:
Have the Bentley Police Emergency Number saved in your phone. If you favorite the number, it will be at the top of your contacts list. This allows you to be in contact with the police even quicker. The emergency police number is (781)-891-3131, and an officer will be able to reach you within minutes if you contact them with an emergency.
One thing to remember is that pepper spray is illegal on campus. Even though pepper spray is legal in the state of Massachusetts, on college campuses, it is considered as a weapon. This means that carrying on campus is against the law, and it is a policy violation. In an instance where you need to defend yourself, a legal alternative to pepper spray is the BASU E-Alarm. This palm sized E-Alarm is easy to attach to your car keys, and it is loud enough to draw attention to the situation you’re in. You can carry this E-Alarm anywhere you go on campus, and it’s a good way to keep yourself safe.
In an instance where you cannot call the police, or alert others to your situation, being able to defend yourself is imperative. One important thing to note is that Bentley University Police are sworn in, academy trained, police officers. They take their jobs very seriously, and they do a lot to keep us safe. They currently offer a self-defense program called RAD, or Rape Aggression Defense System. This is taught by one of their certified officers, and it serves as a means to help students advocate for themselves.
Bentley is an incredibly safe campus, and we have excellent protocols in place to help us stay that way. However, we can never be too careful, and I encourage every student to put their safety first. Never feel awkward about things like asking your friends to walk you back to your dorm room, or about not wanting to take an uber by yourself. If your instinct is telling you something, I encourage you to listen to it.
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