The Reality of the Mental Load of Women’s Safety
By: Natasha Arizmendi
Edited by: Sofia Garcia
Word Count: 581
4 minutes
National headlines about sexual assault on college campuses has surfaced rage, concern, strong emotions and questions regarding our safety as students.
When allegations of sexual violence involving college students is on the news, many of us begin to question whether we are truly ever safe. Campuses are a place for furthering education, joining organizations, developing independence and new friendships. Unfortunately for many women, these opportunities are accompanied by a constant awareness for their own safety.
Approximately 1 in 4 undergraduate women reported experiencing rape or sexual assault involving physical force or the inability to consent, according to the 2019 Association of American Universities Campus Climate Survey.
This is not to say that men are also not subject to danger.
Rather, many women specifically experience an additional mental burden of constantly considering their personal safety. For several women, safety is a major daily influential factor that typically induces feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression.
It influences decisions and actions, such as deciding which route is safest, where to park, sharing locations, checking the backseat of cars, covering their drink, or deciding whether to attend a social event. Precautions like these have become so automatic, women barely notice them anymore. Therefore, the concern about women’s safety isn’t simply going to just disappear when the national news uproar ends.
Taking precautionary measures significantly leads to a larger mental load for college students who are already attempting to manage academics, personal health, relationships, and career growth. Perhaps the most concerning aspect is that many of these precautions have become normalized. Sharing a location before going out, covering a drink or pretending to be on the phone are often viewed as ordinary behaviors rather than signs that many women have adapted to living with constant awareness and concern of their safety. People fail to realize that these ordinary behaviors actually entail that women adapt to the dangers around them.
Moreover, safety should not be an additional responsibility that students must constantly manage. Realistically, no campus can completely eliminate crimes. However, being aware and educated on the resources provided to support the safety of students, as well as finding ways to manage anxiety and stress may help lead to peace of mind.
Resources such as the Towson University Police Department, SafeWalk and SafeRide services, emergency text alerts, the SaferMobility app, emergency blue-light phones and crime prevention education can all help students feel safer and better prepared.
Students who experience sexual violence also have access to the Towson University Counseling Center, the Health Center, Student Outreach & Support (SOS), and Title IX resources. Support that extends beyond our campus as well are: The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE. Survivors can also contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
Overall, the mental load women experience goes a lot deeper than one may believe. The precautionary steps they take to be safe, only scratches the surface of the emotional toll they must face when it comes to sexual violence. It takes a significant amount of mental energy to unconsciously calculate every decision on a day-to-day basis.
Each of these decisions might seem insignificant on its own, but combined they become another responsibility woven into everyday life.
Unlike assignments or exams, this mental load has no deadline or end. The concern about women’s safety isn’t simply going to just disappear when the national news uproar ends. The reality is that this follows many women for the rest of their lives.
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