It is easy for high school students to be an easy target because students who stay after school for clubs or sports practices are walking home when its darker outside. Therefore, when students are walking home at night due to extracurricular activities academic support, or clubs, it is important that they take precautions in order to be mindful of their own safety.
Freedom High School’s resource officer Deputy Jason Gadell said,“I do think [teens and adults] need to put a little bit more focus on their surrounding areas knowing where they’re at, who’s around them.”
Gadell suggests that teenagers should evaluate their surroundings instead of focusing mainly on their cell phones.
“Their whole world is in this phone, [but] the reality is that the world extends way beyond this five inch glass,” Gadell said. “The whole world’s out in front of you, you got to see what’s out there, you got to see what’s coming.”
Using a cell phone while walking is a distraction. This makes the person more vulnerable because it is easier for criminals to target those who are distracted. So how can a cell phone help teenagers stay safe? A simple call or text message can be sent to update family and friends about their whereabouts. There are mobile applications that can track a phone’s location. Deputy Gadell advises that being attentive and aware can secure the safety of the teen and the whole community.
“Call somebody and say hey I’m leaving practice now [and] I’m going directly home,” Gadell said.
Public information officer Deputy Aleksandra Kowalski from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office suggests that teenagers take action to prevent themselves from being caught in undesirable situations.
“Do proactive things like [take] self defense classes,” Kowalski said. “Always let people know where you’re going if you leaving whether it’s leaving the house… leaving school or whatever so somebody knows that where you heading off to.”
Caitlin Sullivan, a math teacher at FHS, took self defense classes last year.
“It started out as a Christmas present from my sister because we had a conversation about how I was living by myself and sometimes at night, I get worried about going home and getting safely into my house,” Sullivan said.
From her self defense classes, she learned techniques that help her defend herself. Sullivan recommends that students carry a flashlight with them so they can see clearer when they are walking home or to walk home with a friend.
The Dulles South School Awareness and Firm Enforcement (S.A.F.E.) initiative started during the 2016 school year and focuses on school zone safety and traffic issues. Recently, the number of patrols in the South Riding, Brambleton, and Aldie areas have increased. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, there has been a very minimal decrease in robbery, but an increase in rape cases from 2015.
Both Deputy Gadell and Kowalski advise that your own safety will only be protected if you take charge and make responsible decisions like reporting anything suspicious you come across when you’re out in the neighborhood. Not only is it important to be aware of your surroundings and location, but also inform others of your location so that if something was to happen, parents or friends will know your location.
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