Washington, DC — Anyone who’s experienced beginning in college will tell you, moving to a new city with so much new-found freedom is an exciting time in your life. My first week on campus was filled with so much joy, making friends, joining clubs, and of course, partying. At one of my first few on-campus parties, my friend and I were approached by two men, who we’d later found out were not college students.
These men attempted to coerce us into leaving with them later in the night, going so far as to take my friend’s belongings, and insisting on “taking us home.” The counterparts continue to pull the car up beside us, refusing to take no for an answer. I messaged a male friend to track our location as it was clear this was a dangerous situation, and shortly after that four of our friends appeared to take us back to our dorm.
Since this frightening experience, as well as several more encounters being groped or verbally harassed around campus, I began to question my safety. I believe these experiences have shown me the importance of taking more steps to be safe when being out alone, especially since I’m responsible for my own well-being now.
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