Public safety, students and faculty share safety tips for National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
“Be cautious of emails, texts or messages that ask personal questions; if consuming alcohol, be mindful of the amount and never leave a drink unattended,” Said Sam Preston, interim director of Public Safety.
Preston said students should always pay attention to their surroundings.
“Walk in well-lit areas; if wearing headphones/earbuds, keep the volume low enough to hear surrounding noise,” Preston said.
Taylor Petty, assistant professor of criminal justice, said traffickers use social media to locate people online and gave tips on how to prevent being tracked online.
Petty said one way to stay safe is to make your social media accounts are private, and to only accept friend requests from people that you know.
Petty said people are more likely to be harmed by someone they know, such as friends, romantic partners or family.
“Be careful with who you trust because they could be the ones who potentially hurt you,” Petty said.
Students said they feel safe on campus.
“I think that USI is for sure a very safe campus,” said Jacey Roos-Williams, junior psychology major.
Roos-Williams said she does not park away from buildings if she knows she is going to be on campus late.
Other students said seeing public safety around campus makes them feel safe.
“I would say that it’s generally safe, and I do feel good that I see a lot of campus security around,” said Delaney Smith, sophomore art education major.
Smith said she stays safe by carrying pepper spray, not going anywhere alone and not wearing earbuds at night.
Ashlyn Richardt, freshman history major, said she stays safe by always bringing someone with her wherever she goes.
Public Safety said there have never been any incidents of human trafficking on campus. However, if students see something suspicious, they should contact Public Safety immediately.
Public Safety emergency number: 812-492-7777
Public Safety non-emergency number: 812-464-1845
USI’s RAVE Guardian app is also accessible to students.