2008 Woodie Awards
Guest Column: Assault is not cuddly
Lauren Nielsen
Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: Opinion
The Diamondback's March 4 lead headline referring to the College Park serial offender as a "cuddler" added insult to injury and was the latest infraction in a saga that, cumulatively, exemplifies the inaction and injustice at the university.
As I walked down College Avenue on Sunday evening with my roommate, we witnessed a scene that was all too familiar in our neighborhood: news crews reporting on the most recent sexual assaults. With a suspect who has been at large for more than a year, I cannot help but feel a growing sense of frustration and helplessness.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI's most recent national crime statistics, Prince George's County has more violent crimes, murder and non-negligent manslaughters and robberies than any other county in the state. Even more alarming for women in the area, an astounding 32 percent of all forcible rapes in the state occurred in our county.
While the university's administration hardly has a role in crime throughout the county, they are some of the most powerful agenda setters in our community. As one of the most powerful academic institutions on the East Coast and with record-setting admissions applications from prospective students, the university has a great deal to lose if this problem remains unaddressed.
During the past five years, university students have witnessed a tuition hike of a whopping 40 percent. That's more than 100 million dollars annually for fees and room and board alone, with an additional 34 percent in tuition and fees. It is mind-boggling to me that with such an influential back pocket, our administration remains mum about whether the Office of the Victim Advocate will even exist after this summer.
Moreover, the March 5 issue of The Diamondback highlights the growing housing shortage on the campus. Because of this, the safety and security of off-campus housing are arguably more important than ever, as the severe housing shortage on the campus makes off-campus living a necessity for many students.
It is imperative that the university views the repeat offender, Prince George's County crime statistics, the demand for off-campus housing and the Office of the Victim Advocate closing as a single and substantial predicament that must be addressed immediately. It is abundantly clear that the administration has the power and financial capacity to make the necessary reforms. Though I am skeptical of the bureaucratic nature of policy-changing on this campus, I am hopeful Sunday's events will not become just another headline.
For the police involved, this is another assignment, and for the administrators at the university, this is simply another item on the week's agenda. But for the students living in this community, it is our lifestyle that is impacted daily. It is our friends, our girlfriends, our roommates and ourselves who are at risk.
Calling this person a "cuddler" and repeating a familiar story directly contributes to the numbing effect of the media and makes our community accept the status quo of violence that puts all students at risk. The blood is on all our hands, and a collaborative approach to standardization and compliance between the university, landlords and surrounding community is the only viable option for effective reform.
I am not naive to the fact that what I am calling for is a tremendous task, but one cannot deny how all of these factors, collectively, are alarming and utterly exasperating. Just ask the girl walking home at night or the girl studying next to a window how important this is to her, and I am confident she'll tell you just how secure she really feels.
Lauren Nielsen is a senior government and politics major. She can be reached at laurennielsen26@gmail.com.
As I walked down College Avenue on Sunday evening with my roommate, we witnessed a scene that was all too familiar in our neighborhood: news crews reporting on the most recent sexual assaults. With a suspect who has been at large for more than a year, I cannot help but feel a growing sense of frustration and helplessness.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI's most recent national crime statistics, Prince George's County has more violent crimes, murder and non-negligent manslaughters and robberies than any other county in the state. Even more alarming for women in the area, an astounding 32 percent of all forcible rapes in the state occurred in our county.
While the university's administration hardly has a role in crime throughout the county, they are some of the most powerful agenda setters in our community. As one of the most powerful academic institutions on the East Coast and with record-setting admissions applications from prospective students, the university has a great deal to lose if this problem remains unaddressed.
During the past five years, university students have witnessed a tuition hike of a whopping 40 percent. That's more than 100 million dollars annually for fees and room and board alone, with an additional 34 percent in tuition and fees. It is mind-boggling to me that with such an influential back pocket, our administration remains mum about whether the Office of the Victim Advocate will even exist after this summer.
Moreover, the March 5 issue of The Diamondback highlights the growing housing shortage on the campus. Because of this, the safety and security of off-campus housing are arguably more important than ever, as the severe housing shortage on the campus makes off-campus living a necessity for many students.
It is imperative that the university views the repeat offender, Prince George's County crime statistics, the demand for off-campus housing and the Office of the Victim Advocate closing as a single and substantial predicament that must be addressed immediately. It is abundantly clear that the administration has the power and financial capacity to make the necessary reforms. Though I am skeptical of the bureaucratic nature of policy-changing on this campus, I am hopeful Sunday's events will not become just another headline.
For the police involved, this is another assignment, and for the administrators at the university, this is simply another item on the week's agenda. But for the students living in this community, it is our lifestyle that is impacted daily. It is our friends, our girlfriends, our roommates and ourselves who are at risk.
Calling this person a "cuddler" and repeating a familiar story directly contributes to the numbing effect of the media and makes our community accept the status quo of violence that puts all students at risk. The blood is on all our hands, and a collaborative approach to standardization and compliance between the university, landlords and surrounding community is the only viable option for effective reform.
I am not naive to the fact that what I am calling for is a tremendous task, but one cannot deny how all of these factors, collectively, are alarming and utterly exasperating. Just ask the girl walking home at night or the girl studying next to a window how important this is to her, and I am confident she'll tell you just how secure she really feels.
Lauren Nielsen is a senior government and politics major. She can be reached at laurennielsen26@gmail.com.
Submit a letter to the editor or post a comment below.
Be the first to comment on this story