How Safe Do Women Feel At Frostburg State?

            Physically safety, especially for women, is always a cause for concern in a college campus environment. It has been a relatively peaceful two years in Frostburg since Kortneigh McCoy was fatally stabbed by a fellow Frostburg State student, Shanee Liggins in November of 2011 right outside of a house party, just a few feet away from campus. However, yesterday's violence at Franklin Regional Senior High School in Pennsylvania may once again be a cause for alarm for students at Frostburg.

 

Samantha Basile, a senior and social work major, feels only relatively safe at Frostburg. Samantha says, "On a scale on 1 to 10, probably a 6 or 7 in terms of safety." Samantha explains that her concern is due to the local break-ins that have been reported in the area. While she feels safe on campus and during the day, at night she is worried about walking around alone. She especially is worried when walking home from the bar, "If I ever walk home alone from the bar sometimes guys and locals yell stuff at me and it's scary."

 

Samantha isn’t the only one who questions their safety at Frostburg State. Sociology major and senior, Courtney Abell, expresses her concern, “At night I don’t feel safe walking by myself. I always walk with a group of friends or a guy.”

 

It seems as though female students at Frostburg State for the most part feel safe during the day, yet are worried about walking around alone, especially at night.

 

Becky Randel for Howard County feels differently though. A senior majoring in psychology, Becky says “I literally feel very safe. Because I feel it’s a tight-knight community. It’s not like a city.” Becky is less concerned with her own physical safety because she feels that by living in a small town like Frostburg, it is easier to trust people, even strangers.

 

While some girls fear for their safety at night, most would agree that during the day and on campus they feel safe and protected. It seems that the recent stabbing spree at the Pennsylvanian High School has not had any dramatic impact on Frostburg’s student body.