When we leave our home to go away to college, we are under the assumption that we are going to somewhere safe. And most of the time, this is true. However, predators out to harm others can live and thrive amongst us, in any location, time or place. So, the best way to protect ourselves is to educate ourselves about what resources are available to us for safety and protection.

I would like to caution you towards the idea that abuse and harassment only occurs to women. Men are at risk as well, so it is important that we make sure safety and protection is available and easily accessible to everyone!

I’ve gone through a couple websites and have created a list of them below to help you access the information you need to find safety and create a protected environment for yourself.

But…the most important thing to remember is that if you find yourself in a situation where you need help, please contact your school and the police and notify your family members so that you can surround yourself with people who want to protect you as soon as you can!

Website links for information:

• http://www.womenslaw.org
• http://helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm
• http://www.thehotline.org/
• http://www.domesticviolence.org/
• http://www.domesticabuseproject.com/
• http://www.ncadv.org/
• http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/whatissh.pdf
• http://www.equalrights.org
• http://www.aauw.org/

For more information, your college should have its own harassment and abuse department. A good place to start would be with your campus security department. Also, your local police department would be a great source for support.