Perceptions of Safety in UBC Campus Public Spaces

Between April 19th and October 19th, 2013, a series of six incidences of sexual assault at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Point Grey campus in Vancouver, BC were reported. These incidences prompted a number of responses: increased levels of security from the University Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and UBC Campus Security, the expansion of campus safety programs such as the Alma Mater Society (AMS) Safewalk program, the establishment of a Point Grey Campus Safety Working Group, and a controversial campaign promoting the message of, “Stay Safe, Don’t Walk Alone.” Both the series of sexual assaults and the University’s responses to the events have generated campus-wide conversations regarding the complexities and challenges of campus safety for students, faculty, and staff.

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