Though UW-Madison does not have a relatively high crime rate, after a string of assaults in September of last year and several incidents this spring, campus safety has become a bigger concern for some UW-Madison students.
While a recent UW-Madison study shows the Southeast dormitories generally have a higher occurrence of crime, the Lakeshore dormitories had several safety problems earlier in the year. Elizabeth Waters, an all-female dormitory, had an encounter with a \peeping tom"" and Adams Gate house was the site of an attempted robbery.
Brittin Wagner, a UW-Madison senior and Elizabeth Waters Hall resident, said despite this she does feel secure in the dorms.
""I do feel really, really safe. I never thought there was much of a safety threat in the dorms, especially [Elizabeth Waters Hall],"" Wagner said.
However, Wagner had her own encounter with an intruder.
""One night I was followed by a man who tried to enter the dorm behind me,"" Wagner said. ""I slammed the door on his arm.""
Kala Kluender, who will attend UW-Madison in the fall, said she had not heard any warnings about safety on campus. Kluender noted the preponderance of security light posts near campus sidewalks.
""I'm not really concerned about my safety on campus,"" Kluender said.
In addition to security light posts, UW-Madison offers Safe Arrival For Everyone nighttime services, which include SAFEride bus and cab that provide free transportation, and SAFEwalk, which is an escort service to students navigating the campus at night.
""[UW-Madison] is as safe as you can make it,"" said UW-Madison senior Greta Eckern, a SAFEwalk employee.
Eckern and Nathan Hanson, another SAFEwalk employee, both noted SAFEwalk was a vital yet underutilized resource on campus.
""We want to give a lot of walks. We want to be giving walks all night long,"" Eckern said. ""Everyone has a really different reason for requesting [a SAFEwalk]. One night I walked a six-foot-tall football player worried about gang activity.""
Hanson said he encountered many interesting people while on the job.
""We see a lot of crazy people. I've been flashed while on the job.""
Hanson also said he enjoyed talking to the people he escorted. He encouraged new students to call SAFEwalk at night, not just for safety but to help find their way around the unfamiliar campus.
""We're pretty busy our first week. A lot [of people] don't even know where they're going,"" he said.
Jane Goemans, SAFE Nighttime Services coordinator, said escorts gave over 1,100 walks this past academic year.
""The campus is a fairly safe place,"" Goemans said. ""At the same time late at night is the time you need to be aware of your safety.\
