Campus Safety

A Saint Joseph’s University Junior shares her experience about her time on campus and how it has been different than what she is used to. She discusses the idea of being in a big city where there is bound to be something happening.

Start Talking SJU is a social media impact campaign that encourages members of the Saint Joseph’s University community to engage each other by discussing difficult, yet important topics, that are vital for a healthy, open, inclusive campus. Our current topic is Living in Fear, Striving for Hope.

More videos like this one on the topic of Living in Fear, Striking for Hope in 2020 can be found at http://livinginfear.starttalkingsju.com. You can also see our prior campaigns: Attacked (http://attacked.starttalkingsju.com), Belonging (http://belonging.starttalking.com), and Mental Health (http://mentalhealth.starttalking.com).

This video was co-created with the person depicted and/or represented in a story read by another. All persons reviewed and signed consent forms granting permission to share this story online.

If you are experiencing any personal or social effects due to fear on or off campus, the university has resources that can help, including:

The Office of Student Outreach and Support (https://sites.sju.edu/sos/); the SJU COVID website (https://www.sju.edu/hawk-hill-ready); if you are experiencing food insecurity, HawkHub (https://clubs.sju.edu/hawkhubclub); The Bias Activity Review Group, which connects to Public Safety (https://sites.sju.edu/oid/bias/); CAPS (610-660-1090); TitleIX titleIX@sju.edu; REPP (*confidential support) 610-733-9650 (24 hr. Peer Helpline); or SJU Public Safety 610-660-1111.

A complete transcript of the video reads as follows:

“I think that I was very naive freshman year when I came in because, as I said I’m from Cape May, New Jersey, like, literally nothing ever happens. And I think that, like, the experiences I have here are, like, like, completely different than at home. And I think wherever there’s more people there’s bound to be, like, someone that, like, wants the worst for you, you know? The simplest things like I’ll walk to class and, like, the cat-calling or, like, this, like, anybody that passes me on the street, like, I’m skeptical of now because, like, you you don’t know, like, we live in 2020, like, literally anybody could be, like, you know? Like, you could get be in danger from any human being. And I think that, um, I’m not that type of girl that just, like, sits there and just, like, lets them, like, entertain that, like, I’m I’m very, like, vocal about sticking up for what is right. You know? I don’t feel like I ultimately live in fear, like, yes scary things happen but, like, I would never, like, be, like, “Oh God I hate Philly, like, it sucks here,” there’s just so many good people in this city and, like, so many random strangers that want, like, the best, like, for you, like, you know what I’m saying?”