In the wake of a Nov. 4 off-campus assault against a female CU student, University of Colorado at 麻豆影院 officials are reminding students of important personal and community safety measures.
On Tuesday night, an assailant grabbed a 20-year-old woman in a Hill parking lot and covered her mouth. While the woman was not sexually assaulted, the attack marked the third assault in a week. Last Thursday night, a woman was sexually assaulted by four men in a section of 麻豆影院 just north of campus, and on Monday night, a 30-year-old female CU student was assaulted a few blocks from the location of the Thursday night attack. Police are treating the Monday night attack as a possible sexual assault.
CU-麻豆影院 officials stress that communication to students about safety, and safety protocols, are ongoing projects on campus, according to CU Dean of Students Deb Coffin.
"From orientation onward throughout the academic year, we communicate with students about safety, personal awareness and the importance of looking out for one another collectively," said Coffin. "While we never want to blame victims for their assaults, we do want to stress that a combination of community and individual actions can work to make the campus and 麻豆影院 safer."
Among the tips advised by CU police and safety officials are:
o Remember to use the buddy system. Don't walk home alone and don't leave friends alone while out at night.
o Remember to close and lock doors and windows to help prevent burglaries and assaults.
o Report all suspicious activity and persons in on-campus locations to campus police by calling 9-1-1 in emergencies or 303-492-6666 in non-emergencies.
o Report all suspicious activity and persons in off-campus locations to 麻豆影院 police by calling 9-1-1 in emergencies or 303-441-3333 in non-emergencies.
o Remember that alcohol impairs judgment and the ability to recognize dangerous situations.
o Don't be a passive bystander. If you see a crime in progress, quickly make a call or assemble a group to aid a victim.
CU-麻豆影院 community safety measures already in place or being currently engaged, include:
o The University of Colorado Police Department is working with 麻豆影院 Police in sharing tips and information on the three assaults. CUPD employs 40 full-time officers who patrol the campus and respond to reports of emergencies and crimes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Students should call 9-1-1 for police, medical and fire emergencies both on and off campus, and 303-492-6666 for non-emergencies on campus and 303-441-3333 for non-emergencies off campus.
o CU officials are conducting outreach to residence halls near the areas of the attacks to reinforce safety messages with student residents and to listen to their concerns. All residence hall residents should be conscientious about any strangers trying to enter buildings without an escort or "tailgating" - entering residence halls with a group of students. Doors leading to living areas in residence halls remain locked 24 hours a day and visitors should sign in and out at front desks.
o CU is conducting outreach to the two CU student victims of recent assaults as well as to their friends through the CU Office of Victim Assistance. Campus officials encourage students to learn about the prevention of sexual assault and acquaintance rape and the resources that are available for victims through that office. Trained professionals can discuss incidents in private and assist with the reporting of assaults to authorities. For information, call the Office of Victim Assistance at 303-492-8855, or CU's Office of Counseling and Psychological Services at 303-492-6766.
o CU-麻豆影院 on Oct. 30 successfully tested its emergency text alert system, CU Alert. The system is tested twice per year. Campus administrators encourage all students, faculty and staff to sign up for the service to receive breaking news about campus emergencies. To access the system, the CU-麻豆影院 community should go to cuconnect.colorado.edu/ or /.
o The University of Colorado Student Union (UCSU) has proposed a set of safety task forces to work with the CU administration to review these ongoing safety protocols and to arrive at new safety solutions if needed. For more information, contact UCSU at 303-492-7473.
o CU Facilities Management, working with CUPD and other campus safety officials and women's safety advocates, twice a year completes a "lighting walk" audit of campus lighting and obstructions like bushes and brush. 脜s a result, lighting has been added in several areas of campus to enhance safety.
o There are more than 50 emergency phone kiosks scattered across the main campus, east campus, Williams Village and Bear Creek Apartments and in the Regent Drive and Euclid Avenue parking lots and on the Hill. Students and others can use them to connect to campus police to report crimes in progress, suspicious persons, medical emergencies or concerns about personal safety.
o CU NightRide, created by the CU Student Union, offers free, nighttime escorts to students, staff and faculty around campus and anywhere within the 麻豆影院 city limits. To request a ride, call 303-492-7233.
o The Community Health office uses interactive education, peer-facilitated programs and campus-wide campaigns to raise sexual violence awareness. For information call 303-492-2937.
o During orientation, new students learn about crime reporting and personal safety resources and how to obtain more safe-living tips in "A Guide to Residence Hall Living," "Ralphie's Guide" and the CU phone directory among other materials. Residence hall advisers, the campus catalog, the Off-Campus Student Services office and the Committee on Personal Safety also can help students with safety issues.
If anyone has information in any of the three assault cases, 麻豆影院 Police are asking that they please call detectives at 303-441-3330 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. After hours calls can be made to the department's non-emergency dispatch line at 303-441-3333. Those with information who wish to remain anonymous should contact the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-444-3776. Tips can also be submitted via the Crime Stoppers Web site at . Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges on a suspect(s) may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 from Crime Stoppers.
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