Opinion | Staying Safe Is Not So Simple

“Please stay aware, stay alert and stay safe,” reads the signature of every Campus Safety Alert from University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. The reminder to look before you cross the street is now being replaced with the reminder to look to see if someone is following you from behind. Milwaukee surely isn’t known for its safety or control over crime, but it does have a lot of precautions to such things. Do those precautions always play out in everybody’s well-being? I’m afraid not.

The first Wednesday after daylight saving time in early November, I was returning home from a 6:30 p.m. tutoring appointment. Walking only two blocks off campus with my Apple headphones in and catching up with my dearest friend whom I hadn’t talked to in over a month, I felt an eerie presence behind me.  As I kindly declined his request to use my cellphone to make a call, I was catching on to his awkward yet stern tone. Escaping the situation for the length of four more houses, I suddenly felt the hand of a larger man on my shoulder and the hair on my neck stood up. Panicked and frantic, I aimed my direction at anyone besides my attackers, but before I took my second breath, my phone was out my hands, my bum was on the ground and my eyes were full of tears. There was nothing I could do but thank a kind neighbor for witnessing the situation and calling the police as soon as the robbers ran away.

I suppose I’m the odd one out for considering myself lucky but in many situations similar to mine, others aren’t so lucky. Either a gun is drawn on them or they are more physically hurt than just getting pushed down. UWM reminds students to be aware of their surroundings, but they also do so much more than that. The campus police supplies B.O.S.S. (Be On the Safe Side) rides and even reflective vest-wearing S.A.F.E. (Safety Awareness For Everyone) walkers to escort you to your destination.

Was I at fault to not taking advantage of these facilities during this time? Possibly. On the other hand, no one can predict when civilians with act without morality. Until that super sense comes into our DNA, UWM will continue signing its email safety alerts: “Please stay aware, stay alert and stay safe.”