By Maya Dulock | LTVN Reporter
A common worry for parents when sending their children to college is safety. Precautions like tracking apps, daily check-ins and useful protection devices are commonly sent by parents to their kids. Pepper spray is one of the most common elements of safety especially or girls, because of its versatility and cheap price; however, according to the Baylor Guide to Community Living, pepper spray is prohibited in all residence halls.
Imagine you and your friends are out line dancing on the weekend, and you are walking back to your dorm from the parking garage and notice someone following you. As you are approaching the residence hall, you notice the person start to approach and you have no way to protect yourself.
According to the International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, “a number of civilians use pepper sprays as a self-defense mechanism. Pepper spray can be found in many shapes and sizes. While the traditional design offers a canister with an aim and discharge trigger mechanism, some innovations include features with picture taking, alarm sounding and call for police all while spraying.” So not only does pepper spray cause harm to the perpetrator, but can also aid in receiving professional help quickly, which in this case is a top priority.
This rule needs amending because of the rising statistics of sexual violence occurring on college campuses. The National Library of Medicine states that “18 to 24-year-old females have the highest rate of sexual violence victimization compared to females of other ages and most incidents of female sexual violence victimization among college students occur at or near their home;” in this case residence halls.
If students can only protect themselves when walking to class during the day, but not when they arrive at their dorms after a night out, this poses a serious concern for the safety of Baylor students. The majority of domestic violence cases occur at night and close to the person’s home where they are most vulnerable.
In today’s world, it is easier than ever to be followed home, not to mention the increase in human trafficking reports within the last year. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime states “The most common form of human trafficking is sexual exploitation. The victims of sexual exploitation are predominantly women and girls.” These terrifying statistics demonstrate the need for self defense objects like pepper spray on all parts of campus, especially residence halls.
As a freshman girl living on campus, I can strongly express how scary it is to live in an unfamiliar city and not be able to keep a self defense item with me at all times. At times when I need it most, like walking to my dorm at night, it is strictly prohibited.
The Guide to Community Living was last updated in December of 2023. It’s time to make an amendment and allow pepper spray in residence halls to ensure the safety of all students.
