stopping 1 in 4 sexual assaults on college campuses.

[grumpy old man]

I have three teenage daughters and one of them will soon be attending college away from home.  It is scary for me as a dad to see my daughter leave, mostly because as her father my first job is to keep her safe.  Today I read that 1-4 assaults on women happen on college campuses.  THAT IS CRAZY!  I was thinking today what can I do to make sure my little girl does not end up a statistic. She knows to stay away from parties without friends, not to drink from anything other her own drink and never be alone with a boy.  Now saying that I understand she will not always do these things and even these thing will not guarantee 100% success.  So what can I do?  She will be taking a conceal and carry class and getting her permit but in Nebraska like so many other states college campuses will not allow students to conceal and carry.  If colleges really cared about my daughter they would have armed guards on every floor of every building and dorm room.  Knowing that will never happen, I believe its every persons own responsibility to protect themselves.  Too bad the Nebraska Legislature is preventing my daughter from doing that.  If you want to learn more please read this link and "like it".  We can get this changed.  Your thoughts on the subject.     https://www.facebook.com/Nebraskansforconcealandcarryeverywhere

[Kendahl]

I gather the daughter in question is still a teenager. Until she turns 21, concealed carry on campus is a moot point since she doesn't qualify for a permit.

The most important thing for her to avoid is getting falling down drunk or being around guys who are. I think many campus rapes occur because the girl is too drunk to effectively communicate "No" and the guy is too drunk to listen. Had they been fairly sober, the incident would not have occurred.

Your daughter should carry pepper spray. The hotter the better. An indelible dye to mark her assailant would be good. Search the internet for companies that make bear spray. She won't want anything that big but they make smaller ones for joggers.

A small, sharp knife would be worth having. The difficulty will be finding something that doesn't scream "Knife!" while inside its scabbard. If she does carry one, your daughter must tell no one. Otherwise, word of it will inevitably spread.

Unless your daughter is fairly big (I don't mean fat) and trained in a martial art, unarmed self defense will be ineffective against most guys. Some things she could try are to kick him in the nuts or grab a good handful, twist and yank. To get his eyes, reach for both sides of the face and drive in both thumbs. A blow to the larynx is painful and potentially lethal.

If your daughter does have to fight, her counterattack should come as a surprise and be pressed home ruthlessly and with maximum effort. It's the equivalent to shooting repeatedly until the threat is neutralized with no warning shots.

[sjwsti]

Depending on her age and level of maturity either of these classes would be a good addition to what you have already taught her.

88 Tactical Womans Primal Defense
https://88tactical.com/categories/21-primal-performance-series/courses/44-women-s-primal-defense-omaha/

88 Tactical Teen Primal Defense
https://88tactical.com/categories/21-primal-performance-series/courses/55-teen-primal-defense/

- Shawn

[newfalguy101]

While I see the merits of allowing RESPONSIBLE college students to carry, lets be honest for a minute shall wee, the VAST majority of college KIDS ( that's what they are, really are kids ) are away from home for the first time and tend to do stupid things, including but not limited to:  drinking, fighting, and "hooking up"............adding firearms to that mix, to my way of thinking could very easily lead to disaster.

In my opinion, your best bet would be some sort of unarmed combat/self defense course, or just show her some things that will slow the guy down long enough for her to get away.  Explain that her job in that situation is to SURVIVE, not make an arrest, not take the guy down and hold him for the LEO's and not to do anything other than get away ANYWAY she can.  There are NO rules in a survival fight, eyes, nose and nether regions are all fair game AND should be exploited.


For me this is all moot as my daughter, due to a poor decision that cost her her life, will never be attending college......

[bullit]

++++1 on Shawn's recommendation.

[CitizenClark]

While I see the merits of allowing RESPONSIBLE college students to carry, lets be honest for a minute shall wee, the VAST majority of college KIDS ( that's what they are, really are kids ) are away from home for the first time and tend to do stupid things, including but not limited to:  drinking, fighting, and "hooking up"............adding firearms to that mix, to my way of thinking could very easily lead to disaster.

If they mostly don't have the capacity to possess and use a firearm, what do you think about their being able to potentially sacrifice their lives by entering the military? What do you think about them being legal to vote?

[farmerbob]

Since when is a 21 year old with a CHP a kid?

As far as I know in states that have campus carry, it has been a positive thing, the shootings to settle arguments and heavy drinking while packing never happened. Go figure the college kids (adults) with a CHP are responsible trustworthy adults much like others that take time to get trained, fingerprinted and get their CHP.

I think campus carry could be a lifesaver, unless you think cowering in the fetal position is effective.

[ILoveCats]

Setting aside the issue of on-campus carry for a moment, realize that 99.9% of the risk will be mitigated by the behavior, "street smarts" and situational awareness of your daughter.

Will she be part of the "greek" system or in a dormitory? Don't know what school she's going to, but during my day here I was highly unimpressed with the fraternity and sorority scene, and a lot of the under-age alcohol abuse seemed to be centered there.

The kid that is spending her evenings studying with friends, playing intramural sports, or at a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting is not the one who's going to run into trouble. The one who's at some house party is.

[wallace11bravo]

While I see the merits of allowing RESPONSIBLE college students to carry, lets be honest for a minute shall wee, the VAST majority of college KIDS ( that's what they are, really are kids ) are away from home for the first time and tend to do stupid things, including but not limited to:  drinking, fighting, and "hooking up"............adding firearms to that mix, to my way of thinking could very easily lead to disaster.

While I see the merits of allowing RESPONSIBLE Americans to carry, lets be honest for a minute shall wee, the VAST majority of Americans are irresponsible peasants who engage in such things as drinking, drugs, fisticuffs, NASCAR, promiscuous sex, and other such poor decisions..... adding firearms to that mix, to my way of thinking, could very easily lead to disaster.

OR let's try a different, more specific type of discrimination, since that is more applicable:

While I see the merits of allowing RESPONSIBLE African-Americans to carry, lets be honest for a minute shall wee, the VAST majority of African-Americans are irresponsible gangbangers who engage in such things as drinking, drugs, fighting, gangs, theft, vandalism, and other such poor decisions..... adding firearms to that mix, to my way of thinking, could very easily lead to disaster.

Yes, that's right, I went there. I am not a college student anymore, but that line of reasoning, based on fear mongering, is exactly the same line of thought used to discriminate against EVERY minority group, including college kids. Your rights should not be subject to my opinion, and my rights should not be subject to yours.

Campus carry is legal in several states, and the same "blood in the streets" arguments used against concealed carry as a whole were thrown around about campus carry... and guess what: it never happened. Feel free to reference this link for statistics, case examples, and more:
http://concealedcampus.org/resources/

[SemperFiGuy]

Now--according to a very timely article in the Omaha WH--it turns out that the Nebraska colleges have been under-reporting campus sexual assaults.

See today (above the fold):
NEBRASKA COLLEGES SEEK MORE REPORTS
Current Figures Don't Reflect Reality.

Article sez the low numbers of reported campus sexual assaults (18/140,000 students) is not true.

Gives some stories on what the various Nebraska campuses are going to do to change their reporting methods, get affected students to come forward, and tell a truer story of the campus sexual assault situation.   (Which was something never even heard of when I was an undergraduate.)

sfg

[grumpy old man]

thank you all for the responses.  I plan on having her take some of these plans.  THANKS FOR THE INFO!

[Mudinyeri]

In addition to the 88Tactical classes recommended, here are a few other thoughts:

1. Don't live on campus - in the dorms or in the Greek houses
2. Stay sober and associate with others who do the same
3. Keep your head on a swivel and your radar tuned
4. Don't go anywhere alone; two is good, three or more is better
5. Avoid drunks and bars like the plague
6. Dress conservatively
7. Act responsibly
8. Don't send out the wrong "vibe"

[ILoveCats]

1. Don't live on campus - in the dorms or in the Greek houses

I don't recall if the college or university has been identified in this thread by the OP, but at UNL - as a case in point - freshmen are not allowed to live off-campus.  Other schools may have similar rules.

I thought the UNL dorms were very safe and well-managed.  Greek houses... not so much.

[Mudinyeri]

I don't recall if the college or university has been identified in this thread by the OP, but at UNL - as a case in point - freshmen are not allowed to live off-campus.  Other schools may have similar rules.

I thought the UNL dorms were very safe and well-managed.  Greek houses... not so much.

Granted, it's been nearly 30 years but my girlfriend at the time (now wife) lived in the dorms.  Safe and well-managed would not be terms that I would use to describe the conditions.

[Cdog]

Situational awareness is the #1, frontline defense against any type of threat, IMHO. However, the world is a place full of people who lack this fundamental ability, and worse many who can actually use fundamental aspects of situational awareness against those who practice it (i.e., lure and/or con a mark into an exploitable situation). And while having a gun will not, in all cases, lead to an ability to extract oneself from a bad situation, it is a useful tool in the hand of someone who knows both the limitations and benefits of using such a tool.

Familiarity with these two tools (Situational Awareness and guns) is woefully lacking in most people; especially, unfortunately, college-age people. At best, programs in schools and colleges pay little more than lip service to either of these tools. Why are we not requiring Situational Awareness training as daily/weekly training K thru 12? Why are not all children taught gun safety (as mine were, by myself) as part of required learning K thru 12? It is not paranoid to teach young children to be aware of their surroundings, nor is it stupid to make sure they know what to do when encountering or using a gun. By the time a child goes to college, he/she should be capable of being trustworthy enough to carry concealed by dint of a lifetime of responsible education instead of the fear tactics now carried out against our children.

This lack of skill in either case is something that seems to be somewhat recent in American culture, something that used to be just a part of growing up, and why there are legitimate questions about the responsibility of college-age "kids." Any more, they are only likely to know what to do if it involves tapping a smartphone. Early and continuous education in these and other areas related to being a responsible member of society would go a long way toward us being more sure that our college-age children are college-age men and women. As soon as this happens, there will no longer be a need to debate about where one can carry, open or concealed.

[JTH]

Situational awareness is the #1, frontline defense against any type of threat, IMHO.

Attacks on women in colleges, by far, are not committed by unknowns.  And while situational awareness is always important, by far the vast majority of assaults on female college students come in the form of date rape situations, in which boundary setting, alcohol intake control, and the ability to make intelligent common-sense choices far outstrips just about everything else in terms of preventing said assaults.

While I'm all for college students being able to carry effective tools for self-defense, and strongly support people training in defensive skills (in addition to teaching shooting, I teach both martial arts AND women's self-defense courses and no they aren't the same thing)----by far the vast majority of date rape and sexual assaults on women on college campuses (which are by far the vast majority of assaults on women on college campuses) could have been forestalled by proper boundary setting and the ability to choose not to drink to excess.

Situational awareness is great---but most assaults on college-aged women do not happen from some attacker jumping out of the bushes at night when she is out jogging.  In terms of percentages, the "stranger danger" possibilities (which do exist) are tiny compared to instead being back in a dorm room with a guy after a date when the girl has had too much to drink.

Sure, by all means make certain that girls know how to defend themselves.  (Note:  this isn't learning how to FIGHT.  It is learning how to do enough to someone else so that you can escape.  Girls of all sizes can learn this.)  Carry pepper spray---sure.  Knife?  Well, possibly.  (Not really a great self-defense weapon, really.) 

But the ability to know your limits, set boundaries, clearly communicate them, not shift them under pressure (and the influence of alcohol), and not put yourself into potential situations in which leaving is not possible---THOSE are what will make a much larger difference in a girl's ability to not have to use physical self-defense techniques in the first place.

IMO, of course.  But I'll note that this is something I've spent a lot of time researching in the past 20 years. 

(Dorms are perfectly fine to live in.  Again, if we are talking about assaults on women on college campuses, we aren't talking about people sneaking into dorms and grabbing unsuspecting women out of their rooms.  Sororities are perfectly fine to live in, for the most part also.)

[newfalguy101]

If they mostly don't have the capacity to possess and use a firearm, what do you think about their being able to potentially sacrifice their lives by entering the military? What do you think about them being legal to vote?

Well, I guess those would, for the most part be the responsible people I am talking about, now wouldn't they???