Thoughts on Yale and other campus crime events

by Dr. Gary J. Margolis | Sep 17, 2009

The loss of Ms. Le at Yale University is heartbreaking. Until we have more facts to draw from, I’m unwilling to classify this homicide as a “workplace violence” incident.  I understand the politics behind such a statement, but the reality is that this was a violence against women crime.  Women continue to be at the top of the lists for such violence, and I’ll be curious as to his history towards her.  The studies by Truex, Cullins and Turner on femicide, in the context of research conducted by David Lisak at UMass Boston, show an alarming pattern of co-occuring crimes of violence against women. The correlation between sexual assault, stalking and relationship violence in staggering.  Yet, police aren’t habituated to explore stalking and sexual assault in the context of domestic violence; or stalking in the course of a sexual assault investigations, etc. I know this from two decades in law enforcement as a police officer, training academy administrator, and police chief.  The reported, and then recanted, gang rape allegation at Hofstra is problematic on a number of levels.  First, sexual assault is no less an under-reported crime than any other violent crime yet we tend to question the veracity of women who report (and then wonder why women struggle to come forward and tell their story - one that is repeated dozens of times between the first report and the trial).  Socially, we don’t speak about consensual sexual relationship… can you imagine what it takes to talk about a rape?  If it turns out that this report was indeed false, it only serves to reinforce the misperception that women aren’t telling the truth about rape.  Second, it robs the men involved of any responsibility to have a discussion about their role in promulgating violence against women crimes.  Professor Lisak’s research informs us that the vast majority of men are not rapists, stalkers or beaters.  This means that they are potential advocates, but only if we engage and educate them in the conversation.  Sexual violence remains the MOST under-reported violent crime on a college campus.  We must use tragedies at Yale, Hofstra (in whatever definition), and others as listed below to continue our discussion and awareness of these crimes knowing that this is how we prevent them.

In the last several months, there have been a number of violent acts on college campuses that have received very little national press coverage as the start of the school year gets underway.  While the reality is that college campuses remain amongst the safest places for our students to be, denial is the enemy of safety and security.  Universities and colleges have many competing interests such that developing a safety and security risk tolerance profile gets lost.

The following are a list of incidents having occurred on campuses over the past couple months.

Sexual Assault
FL: Edison State College assault incident resolved, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office says (7/25/09)
OR: Ex-Eastern Oregon University director faces no damages in alleged rape (7/24/09)
WI: Woman alleges rape, sues Sigma Chi fraternity (7/21/09)
WA: Thompson rape trial begins (7/21/09)
WI: Frat house is out of control, woman says (7/21/09)

Homicide
TX: Drug dealer arrested in deaths of two recent UT graduates (7/27/09)
PA: Teen to face trial in killing of pregnant college student (7/24/09)
CA: Suspect in fatal shooting sentenced to probation (7/23/09)
GA: Double killing suspect returning to Georgia (7/22/09)
TX: Police looking for suspects in West Campus slayings (7/22/09)

Death (Non-Homicide)
OH: OU fights ‘party school’ image after student’s death (7/28/09)
CO: Boulder coroner studies CSU student’s death (7/23/09)
IL: NU could face suit in Sunshine death (7/9/09)
UT: Student sentenced in alcohol poisoning death (7/7/09)
OH: Victim had drugs in his system at time of fatal Ohio U. dorm fall (7/2/09)

Assault
AR: Student shot at ASU Saturday (7/25/09)
FL: Southwest Fla. college campus closed after assault (7/23/09)
Sketches of suspects in Edison State College assault released (7/23/09)
FL: Two men sought in Edison College assault today (7/23/09)
TX: 6 shot, wounded in drive-by on university campus (7/23/09)

Robbery
MI: Gunman holds up workers at Calvin College dining hall (7/24/09)
TX: TSU armed robbery suspect in court (7/6/09)
GA: Another Ga. Tech student robbed at gunpoint (6/23/09)
MI: UM-Flint students robbed, suspects at large (6/10/09)
MD: One held in attempted robbery, shooting near Loyola University (6/1/09)

Weapons Violation
VA: Two Lynchburg men indicted in March shootings (6/1/09)
VA: Officer-involved shooting ruled justified (5/18/09)
LA: Gunman at Grambling State University confirmed (4/22/09)
WY: Gunshot heard at college campus (4/7/09)
OH: UC law student arrested on gun charges (4/4/09)

Threat / Alert
FL: Suspect in USF lockdown detained for evaluation (7/25/09)
FL: USF Tampa gets all clear after gunman scare (7/24/09)
TX: Lamar student sentenced for threatening graduation ceremonies (7/22/09)
VA: Judge releases NV man who threatened Va. Tech alums, orders psychiatric treatment (7/13/09)
GA: CAU police wound off-campus gunman (7/8/09)

Other Crime
NC: Woman pleads guilty to pharmacy burglary (7/27/09)
PA: ESU police officer arrested on drug charges (7/24/09)
TN: License tag violation results in drug arrest (7/23/09)
PA: East Stroudsburg University police officer charged in prescription drug crime (7/23/09)
CA: College student arrested for drugs at airport (7/21/09)