University of Arizona - Desert Yearbook (Tucson, AZ)

Page 221 text:

DEATH PROTECTION 217

Page 220 text:

ABE WE SAFE Many students at the UA were very happy when James Hegwood Jr, the rapist of three coeds on campus was sentenced to three hundred years in prison. The slew of campus related vio- lence is not new to the UA just as it is not new to any campus. Two years ago the prime time rapist was a menace as many women found themselves scared sense- less as over nine rapes city wide occured in just a matter of months. However, it is just not rapes. Last year a female student was found leaving with someone at the Bum Steer bar not to be heard of again and eventually found dead. The ASUA escort service was formed several years ago for safety reasons as a string of campus wide attacks had occured. This leads to the fact that no one is safe. Other campuses have also antagonized and lived in fear. For instances this year the University of Florida in Gainesville is being cruely victimized as five people (four women and one man) have been killed and mutilated. One of whom was decapitated. There are no real leads. Just that they all lived in secluded apart- ments, all were pretty, brunette and young. The man the police feel hap- pened to stumble upon the murderer and thus was killed. According to police the murders in Gainesville probably have not ended. Rather that they are on hold due to the number of police who have now made killing more difficult. However, people who kill once usually are capable of killing again. In the instances of serial killers there is a profile of a person who is addicted to pain and suffering. That person usually has had a very traumatic childhood and never fully developed a concience. They start by killing one or two people every two years, then one every six months and so forth. Finally the killing becomes a compulsion and the murderers get out of control. They go on a killing spree, possibly one a day, until they are caught. Quite often the murderers are someone who people feel they can trust. Meaning that a person who kills is not like a television por- trayed killer with scars covering his face. Rather the opposite in many cases as portrayed by Ted Bundy or Christo- pher Wilder. Both of whom were quite good looking and charming. These peo- ple are quite mobile, striking at various areas throughout the state. Many times they are extremely intelligent and shrewd. The fact remains that until this person is caught no one is safe. It is because of the Gainesville murders that this article is being written. This is not a controversial issue being pre- sented. This article has been developed to give notice to some basic protective rules that when followed can possibly help you from coming into harm. First, women are usually always the gender which will be victimized the most as many serial killers have been males who often times have extreme inadequate feelings towards their own masculinity. Thus taking their frustra- tion out on the opposite sex. However, some serial killers are homosexual or prefer young boys. Meaning that no one is truly safe. However, this article is geared more towards the female sex but others should take into considerations the warnings this article should offer. Ann Rule, a crime writer, gave several tips in the USA Today in reference to the Gainesville murders. Her suggestions were as follow; One, be alert, partic- ularly on the days that you are not feeling good. Killers and other harmful personalities are like wolves preying on sheep. They go for the weakest of the bunch first. In fact Rule commented that out of the 28 victims she tracked, who were killed by Ted Bundy, each one of them on the day she died had a really bad day. She stated that maybe you are walking along crying, and you are not thinking about what is going on around you. These guys can spot vulnerability and come on offering you a shoulder to cry on or with sweet sympathy. It does not mean be aware of every nice person you meet but to use common sense and do not go off alone with them. Second, Rule said to think twice when someone rushes up and says, Let me in, I need to use the phone, or Would you carry my books because I have got a broken arm? . Rule stated that you may be driving home and all of a sudden some one rearends you on a somewhat quiet street. As soon as the girl got out to check the car she was done in for Rule states that as sad as it may sound that you have to always be on the alert. If someone comes to the door then say you will call the police for them. Have them wait outside, lock your door and call. If you are rearended on a deserted street then drive to a gas station or somewhere crowded. If your car can not move then stay in your car and just crack your window slightly to speak to the person. Have them call the police and wait. But whatever you do not unlock your car door. If you are stranded on a highway then put your signals on and wait for a highway patrolman. USA TODAY Other rules to follow consist of do not walk to your car alone if possible. When walking at night carry your keys through every other finger so you have an immediate weapon. When approach- ing your car try to look under it to see if someone is there. Many criminals will wait for their victims there and strike the persons legs with a knife or other sharp object to momentarily incapaci- tate them. When again approaching your car check the back seat before getting in. Do not go home with some- one you do not know. Though drastic, you may wish to meet your dates out for the first time and drive yourself there and back. This way they do not know where you live until you feel it is ok. Most attacks take place on the ground levels of an apartment complex so you may wish to get an apartment on the second level. Keep your door locked at all times. Do not walk down dark alleys or secluded areas by yourself. Utilize the escort service. Afterall your tution is helping to fund it. Finally be careful utilizing elevators in buildings which are somewhat deserted. If you do use the elevator stay close to the panel so you can exit in a hurry. This all sounds as if one has to live in a world of terror and panic. That is not true. There are no gaurantees as to how safe or unsafe you are. Life is a risk and danger is part of it. But, as humans we have been blessed with the capacity for common sense. Safety routines when incorporated into your life are like cleaning routines. They do not disrupt your life but do make it that much more nicer. Though many of these measures may seem drastic, in this day and age just being aware can make the differ- ence between life and death. — Suzi Shoemaker

Page 222 text:

.i v All you can get . . and more Chlamydia, an infection caused by sexually transmit- ted bacteria, was the most prevalent sexually transmitted dis- ease (STD) on campus. However, few students would have been able to have named it as an STD, and far less could have explained or de- fined what it was. While other STDs such as syphillis, gonorrhea, and AIDS received attention, the three most common reported types of STDs on campus did not. Behind chlamydia, in reported cases, were genital warts and genital herpes. And, on the university campus, as well as around the country, re- ported cases of STDs were on the rise. This seemed to contradict the belief that more people are practic- ing safer sex. In a scientific study compiled for Student Health Services in March 1988, 40% of University of Arizona students reported practicing safe sex never, seldom or sometimes. In contrast, 85% of the students reported never or seldom worry- ing about contracting a STD. How- ever, according to Student Health Service ' s Health Educator, Lee Ann Hamilton, this is a common atti- tude of students, as well as the general public. No one thinks it will happen to them, stated Ham- ilton. Until it (STDs) effects them, their partner, family member or close friend they don ' t think about it, and feel they are invincible, she added. And, there were things stu- dents could do to put themselves at lower risk to STDs. Aside from abstaining from sex and avoiding sexual intimacy be- yond mutual masturbation, the only other way to lower your risk was to practice safer sex. These practices included limiting the number of partners with which they entered sexual relations with, and using a condom correctly each and every time. Nevertheless, a survey released from Pima County on the U of A showed that 50% of the students have one sexual part- ner, 35% stated they have 2-5 sexu- al partners; an increase of 15% over the past year. And, of those re- sponding, 27% report never using a condom. Hamilton related it was just a dif- ference between knowledge, atti- tude, and behavior Knowledge — people are very aware that con- doms reduce the risk of STDs. Atti- tude — that ' s great, but I don ' t like the way they feel. Behavior — so, I ' m not going use them because I don ' t need them (it won ' t happen to me). And, until the knowledge begins to directly effect the atti- tude of people, the hope of behav- ior changing is slim. 218 ISSUES