Staying Safe

Going off to college can be a scary experience – there's lots of coursework to learn, new people to meet, and maybe even a new place to live. Unfortunately, with crime rates being what they are, these are not the only things you have to worry about, but there are lots of ways to keep yourself safe, so that handing in that continuous assessment will actually be the greatest of your concerns.

Being Safe at Home

If you are moving into a flat, then ask the landlord to change the locks, in case previous tenants have neglected to hand over their keys.
If you're living in an apartment complex, don't buzz in anyone you don't know.
If you're showing the place to a potential new flatmate, make sure you're not alone.
Make sure you lock up properly, including switching on the alarm, every time you go out.
And if you suspect there's been a break in while you were out, contact the Guards from your mobile phone – don't go inside!
Lock the bedroom doors when you're not in the room – if a burglar gets in, they won't be able to get further into your home.
Don't let anyone you don't know well stay over in your home.
Make sure you have enough smoke alarms, that they are positioned correctly, and that the batteries are working! Don't take the batteries out for the remote control!
And in the event of fire, make sure you and your flatmates have an evacuation plan to ensure you all get out safely.

Being Safe While You're Out

Make sure you stick with your friends when you're out – there's safety in numbers.
Don't leave your stuff unattended, no matter where you are, even in the loo. Bags, jackets – make sure you keep your eye on them.
Keep an eye on your drink too, in every sense! It only takes a second to drop something into your glass, so ditch any drink you've left unattended for any length of time. Don't accept drinks from strangers either, and always watch how much you drink. You're much safer when you have your wits about you.
Don't meet trouble half way – if you see any fights or anything like that then just don't get involved. Call security or the Guards if you think someone – including yourself – is in danger.
Be careful on your way home – you're more of a target if you're drunk. Never leave a friend to make their own way home, or go off with a stranger. Agree to text someone when you reach home, so everyone in the group can be sure that each person got home safely.
Always look confident while you're walking – this deters potential criminals, as you don't look like an easy target. Don't use your mobile phone or MP3 player/iPod, as it distracts you, lowering your reaction rate, and lets crooks know you have valuables on you.
You can pick up a safety alarm from your SU shop – they don't prevent crime, but if you are unlucky enough to be singled out, they might just scare the attacker off.

The Taxi Home

Ring a taxi from a registered company, if you can. This saves you walking to a rank and waiting there (especially if you're alone). Keep the card of a reliable company in your wallet.
Be absolutely certain the taxi is legitimate before you get in. Make sure you note the taxi number, and be sure the driver sees you doing so, so s/he knows you are alert and coherent. Even text the number to a friend.
Keep your mobile in your hand, so that it is easily accessible, but don't distract yourself by using it unless you have to.
Never pay any of the fare until you are at your required destination.
If you have any trouble, contact the Taxi Regulatory Authority www.taxiregulator.ie or, in an emergency, the Guards.

If You Find Yourself Alone

Avoid being by yourself late at night, but if you do have to walk any distance by yourself, then stick to busy, well-lit routes. It might not be shorter, but it's definitely safer.
Don't keep your keys in your bag – at least if it is stolen, you'll be able to get into your home. Keep a few bob in your pocket for a taxi just in case too.
Remember what we said about not using your mobile phone, as it distracts you? This is even more important when you're alone.
Avoid using an ATM at night by yourself. If you absolutely have to, then keep your wits about you, and don't use the machine if there's anything odd about it, or you feel you're being watched. Cover your hand while inputting your PIN, and if in doubt, just walk away and contact the Guards.
If you think there is someone following you, then get yourself into a well-lit, busy area. Otherwise, turn suddenly, cross the street, or go into anywhere nearby that's open. If this doesn't work, then look at the person, and address them loudly, as this can disarm them. Failing that, scream, and run towards a populated area.
For guys: don't walk too closely behind women, in case you make them feel uncomfortable. Always accompany female friends home when you can.
If you're going on a date, make sure a friend knows where you are, who you're with and when you'll be home. Have a code word so you can let them know if you're in trouble. Try and make first dates at places you know friends will be.
If someone asks you for directions, tell them from a distance – never approach the car.
Never, ever get into a stranger's car, but if you are forced into one, try to crash the vehicle. You are likely to be safer in an accident than with a person who has abducted you.
Consider taking a self defence class – check out www.dit.ie/DIT/sport/
Always trust your instinct – it rarely lets you down.

At the Wheel

Alcohol is responsible for over one third of all fatal accidents in Ireland. Just don't drink when you're driving. Stay in and chill with your drink instead.
And forty percent of accidents are caused by excessive speed. Drive within the legal limit and arrive a bit late rather than not at all.
Simple tiredness can cause up to twenty percent of fatal car accidents. Do not drive if you're tired. If you start to get sleepy when you're driving, stop immediately and take a quick nap, stretch your legs and get some caffeine.
Drugs, both prescription and otherwise, can also affect your ability to drive. Do not drive if you are affected.
You are four times more likely to crash if you use your mobile while you're driving. A hands free kit is safer, but pulling over to make your call or send your text is the safest.
Without a seatbelt three out of four people will die in a crash. Always wear one.
And if those stats don't make you worried about your safety, then worry about other people's. It really is pretty awful having to live with the thought that your irresponsibility killed someone.

Your Personal Info, Online and Elsewhere

Because we use them in the familiar surroundings of our home or workplace, we often don't employ the same safety standards online that we do when out in the real world. But online crime and identity theft are some of the fastest growing crimes in the country, so be vigilant and keep yourself safe.
You wouldn't give your personal info to strangers on the street, but, in effect, that is what you're doing when you put such info on a public online forum. Sites like Facebook are a cool way to keep up with your friends, but be careful what info you share, and keep your page private (so that only people you confirm as friends can see it).
Only ever accept friends online when you are certain you know them.
Have a separate email account for your networking sites, to keep your work and personal addresses safer.
Do not include the following info on your networking page: your full address, your exact date of birth, your phone number, details of where you work, details of old schools or colleges, any of your pets' names, or your mother's maiden name (these are often used as the answers to security questions online), any dates when you'll be away from home.
Check your online security settings regularly and update if necessary. Ask a friend to sort you out with this if you don't know too much about computers.
Giving out personal info can make you a prime target for identity theft, where someone else can obtain important papers in your name, like a passport and driver's licence. Don't make this any easier by giving out sensitive info to anyone – never reply to those emails asking for your bank details, no matter how official sounding they are.
Keep an eye on all your accounts, and if you notice any unusual activity, then contact the bank in question immediately, and the Guards if necessary. The quicker you report this, the less damage there'll be.
Sensitive info can be obtained by looking through any bills or documents you throw out – invest in a shredder, or ask for one for Christmas or a birthday, it's a really priceless investment. All it takes is a bill and fake ID to get a whole host of fake documents, loans or credit cards in YOUR name.
Your details can also be obtained when you're out and about, so be watchful when inputting your PIN at an ATM or in a shop, and be careful when filling in forms in public.

YOUR SEXUAL SAFETY

Here is some scary food for thought...

42% of women in Ireland, and 28% of men, report that they have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives.
It is estimated that 35% of this violence is perpetrated by strangers. 24% of the women who have experienced sexual violence were attacked by a current or former partner. In 80% of child abuse cases, the child knew their abuser.
Most sexual violence is perpetrated by men, but a significant 7% of child abuse is committed by women.
It is reckoned that all reported figures are lower than they are in reality, as fear and shame often stops the victims of sexual violence from coming forward.

Sexual violence is not about sex – it is about power and control, about the perpetrator trying to dominate and incite fear.

Rape is unlawful sexual intercourse – sex with a person who does not consent, where the perpetrator knows there is no consent, or is reckless in finding out whether the person consents. Rape is a sexual assault, including penetration (however slight) of the vagina, anus, or mouth by the penis or another object.

Aggravated sexual assault involves violence, causes grave injury, humiliation or degradation to the victim. Sexual assault involves a lesser degree of violence.

Sexual child abuse is the use of a child for sexual arousal or gratification, and includes molestation, exposure, masturbation, sexual exploitation, or intercourse. It can also include being forced to look at or take part in pornography.

Drug assisted sexual assault occurs when a drug is used to render a potential victim incapable of defending themselves. Drugs used usually have anaesthetising and muscle relaxing properties, meaning that victims fall unconscious, or remain awake but immobilised. These drugs are often colourless, tasteless and odourless. Alcohol – without any additional drug – is the most commonly used drug in assisting sexual assault. Never combine alcohol with drugs or prescriptive medication. Do not drink when you are tired or ill. Never leave your drink unattended. Never accept drinks from strangers. If you think your drink has been spiked, alert your friends immediately, and get them to call security or the Guards.

What to do if you have been attacked

It is up to you to decide whether you want to report the attack to the Guards, but do contact the Rape Crisis Centre for help and support, either in person, or over the phone. They have trained volunteers and a 24-hour telephone helpline to help you through this horrible time, to help you make the right decisions for you. Some centres have counsellors who can accompany you to the Sexual Assault Treatment Centre (see below) and to court.

Even if you don't want to report the attack to the Guards, do visit your doctor. They can check you for STIs, treat any injuries you might have sustained, and offer you emergency contraception. You've already been through enough, so it won't be easy to visit your GP, but it really is the best for your health.

If you do report the attack immediately, the possibility of getting important forensic evidence is increased, evidence that might help hold your attacker accountable for what they did to you. If you can't face reporting the attack, keep your clothes and shoes, and do not wash them. They might offer valuable evidence later.
If you were subjected to a drug assisted attack, report it immediately if you can. The drugs used can leave your system very quickly, so the sooner you are tested for them, the better. Even if you cannot remember exactly what happened, contact your Rape Crisis Centre and they will support you and advise you what's best to do.

The Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) at the Rotunda Hospital

If you decide to report the attack, the Guards will wish to collect any forensic evidence, to help them catch the perpetrator, or prosecute them in court. This sounds scary, especially after what you have been through, but the exam will be conducted by supportive medical personnel, and you can ask that a friend or trained volunteer from the Rape Crisis Centre accompany you also. Your friend might be asked to leave at some point, in case they are asked to testify for you in court later. But you can insist that they stay – it's completely up to you. The Guard will be present too, but they will be screened off from you.

The medical personnel may examine you internally and externally, taking swabs and samples that will be taken and analysed. It is likely that the Guards will take the clothes you were wearing in order to test them. You can ask your friend to pick up a change of clothes for you, or else clothing will be provided for you.

If you have experienced child abuse

Regardless of the circumstances of the abuse, or when it occurred, there is help available to support you and help you cope. Contact the Rape Crisis Centre for invaluable advice.

Supporting a survivor of child abuse or sexual violence

The Rape Crisis Centre is there for you too, to offer you support and provide information. A sexual violence survivor most likely feels lacking in a sense of control, so resist the temptation to try to make everything better for them. They need to make their own decisions, and cope with what has happened to them at their own pace. Just make sure they know you are there for them if they need you.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
70, Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 6614911 Helpline: 1800 778888 E: rcc@indigo.ie Web: www.drcc.ie

One in Four
2, Holles Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 6624070 E: info@oneinfour.org Web: www.oneinfour.org

In an emergency always call 999 or 211. If its not an emergency call your nearest Garda station http://www.garda.ie/angarda/stations.html
Or phone 11811.

If you have been a victim of crime, there is help and support available from the Gardai and Victim Support, as well as the support services in your college.

Emergency Services
Tel: 999/ 112

Garda Crime Victims Helpline
Tel: 1850 211 407

Garda Confidential Phone Number
Tel: 1800 666 111

Victim Support
Haliday House, 32, Arran Quay, Dublin 7.
Tel: 01 8780870
E: info@victimsupport.ie