This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no cost to you. See full Disclosure here.
Need information on personal safety devices for college students to stay safe on campus? We’re going to look at the five most no-brainer personal safety products that college students need to know about.
When I sent my daughter off to college, I was full of questions. What kinds of self-defense tools can I send with her? What’s even allowed? Are self-defense tools really necessary anyway?
But then I saw the stats.
Burglaries and forcible sex offenses are the top 2 crimes reported to police and college campus security. Even worse, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, almost 1 in 5 (18.3%) women in America have been raped at some point in their lives, and nearly 80% of those victims were assaulted before age 25.
With odds like these, it only makes sense that young adults leaving home for the first time start off prepared with some staple personal safety supplies.
You’re going to learn about how a portable door alarm, a door security bar, a personal panic alarm, a simple flashlight, and a basic striking tool for self-defense are devices so dependable, that ANY college student will feel confident bringing them to campus.
This post is all about personal safety devices for college students to stay safe on campus.
Personal Safety Devices
Let’s face it, getting to move away from home for the first time is probably the best part about going to college. And whether your college student is starting in a dorm room, or sharing a lease with a couple of roommates, space is going to be precious. This is why a door or window alarm might not be the first thing that comes to mind when deciding what gets packed for school. Until you consider, that is, that studies show more than half of home intruders would stop in the middle of a burglary if an alarm they weren’t expecting suddenly went off.
Portable Door Alarm
This is why a nice loud door alarm is a must. For inspiration, I only had to look as far as my overnight bag to find a portable travel alarm, which sounds off an ear-piercing 120-decibel alarm on just 2 AA batteries. Not sure what 120-decibels sounds like? An ambulance siren is 120 decibels. 😧
Talk about convenience. This door alarm has been mindlessly toted around on vacations and into hotel rooms for years. It lives in the travel bag and is all but forgotten until the situation requires it. For example, when this alarm is positioned under a (hotel, dorm, bedroom) door from the inside of a room, it will sound an alarm if the door opens. These also work with windows and patio sliders.
That’s right, these can be adapted for whatever the travel circumstance. The suction cup on the bottom holds the motion sensor alarm in place, so there’s no need for the toolkit. Completely doable, even for the busiest college student. Which is the main thing, right? Because if ANY tool or gadget is too complicated or a nuisance to use, it’s not going to GET used.
Personal Safety
First thing’s first, though, and that is to lock the doors and windows in the first place. This might sound way too easy, but almost 35% of burglars don’t “break in” at all – they walk right through an unlocked door. Or they kick in a locked door.
And did you know that someone is HOME during the burglary almost 30% of the time, causing some of those robbery victims to be victims of a violent crime too? Yikes.
Using a Door Security Bar
A door security bar basically jams the door shut from the inside, providing extra protection from someone trying to break through from the outside. Having it in place blocking the door gives whoever’s inside those few extra minutes to get to a safer location and call for help. And, like portable entry alarms, these are made to be convenient for traveling.
I opted for this steel bar from Master Lock I found online. Once again, I already had this at home in the tracks of our sliding glass patio door, so it easily came to mind when I was shopping around for some additional security for a dorm room. It was less than $20, had over 20 thousand reviews with great recommendations (4.6 out of 5 stars), and it only weighs 2 pounds. Super easy for a college freshman just starting out.
Personal Safety Products
Personal Alarm
College campuses and universities are huge. And getting back and forth between classes, sometimes well after dark, can quickly turn terrifying. Not necessarily because an armed assailant is lurking behind every poorly lit bush, although there could be that too.
Moreso, I think, because as new students learn their way around new surroundings, they start to lower their guard. Before long, that walk from class to class, or through the familiar dark student parking lot, or back to the dorm after a late-night study group or a frat party, becomes filled with mental distractions, making a surprise attack more likely.
This is why having an inconspicuous little personal alarm is an obvious addition to a student’s everyday essentials.
A personal alarm is a panic alarm that can either be worn, like a bracelet or watch, or it can be carried. I like the versatility of the keychain alarm because it can also be attached to a belt or bra loop, a backpack, or a purse. Once it’s in place, it can basically be forgotten about. Until it’s needed, that is.
When the keeper of the alarm feels threatened while walking alone or ends up in the company of someone who’s starting to raise the red flags, a simple tug on the alarm sounds off a deafening 120-decibel alarm that will alert everyone around that something is awry nearby.
As a bonus, it’ll also startle the heck out of any would-be attacker, allowing for an extra few seconds to either run away, break free from a grasp, or whatever.
Self-Defense Tools
Flashlight
I’ve always heard that a good flashlight is one of the most useful and important tools in a person’s everyday carry kit. But then I came across an article by a former U.S. Navy Seal Officer who said hostage rescue teams regularly use flashlights to blind the enemies with it when they first enter the room.
Who knew?
A flashlight of at least 200 lumens can temporarily blind an assailant, even in the light of day, when it’s aimed right at the eyes.
Not to mention, criminals are looking for an easy target. The last thing they want is to get noticed, caught, or injured themselves. And they know that someone brandishing a flashlight while out and about is actively looking out for themselves.
Using the Flashlight
My daughter was taught to have her flashlight powered on as she’s walking towards her car so she can see under and around it as she approaches the car, and inside of it before she gets in.
I literally have flashlights in multiple designated locations throughout my house, vehicle, and purse. And as a Registered Nurse, I have carried one daily in my scrubs pocket for the past 27 years. Yes, the little penlight I got as a student nurse was quickly replaced by a higher grade, more practical means of light. I’ve used it to see my way around dark hospital rooms, troubleshoot beeping medical equipment, and illuminate every imaginable human orifice. Hundreds of times.
If there was ever a must-have tool, the all-purpose flashlight is it. This one not only includes a 200-lumen multi-function LED flashlight but is also jam-packed with other safety features making it perfect for the car:
- A high-pitched 120-decibel panic alarm
- A glass breaker to punch through a side window
- A seat belt cutter
- Strobe light and a red emergency beacon for roadside emergencies
- A magnetic head so it sticks to the metal on the vehicle
- Includes a USB charger and a power bank to charge other electronics!
A Striking Tool
Really, any hand-held instrument can be used to strike an attacker in self-defense. Striking tools that are designated for this purpose come packaged in all sorts of ways, from knives to cat-shaped knuckle strikers, and everything in between. But we’re talking about our no-brainer defense tools today. You know, the ones that don’t get students expelled on weapons charges.
This striking tool, for one, is gorgeous. It’s easy to find at the bottom of a purse, backpack, or under a pillow, just by reaching in and feeling for it. Yet, it’s slim enough that when it’s held at the ready, it’s pretty much out of sight. The built-in ridges make for an easy grip, and its pointed end makes aiming for the attacker’s pressure points a lot easier to target.
Another option to use as a striking tool is a tactical pen. This one is a fully usable black ink pen and comes with an extra ink refill, a LED flashlight, and a jagged tip on the end to collect the DNA of an attacker.
Conclusion
Criminals are looking for easy victims. They want to get what they’re after and be well on their way long before they get themselves into trouble in the process. So, a student’s best bet for staying safe on campus, for staying safe anywhere, is always going to be maintaining a constant awareness of surroundings. After all, no one can avoid or act on a threat if they don’t see it coming in the first place.
You might also be interested in, The 4 Levels of Situational Awareness That Can Save Your Life.
What piece of safety equipment were you glad you had on hand when you needed it most?
This post covered 5 no-brainer personal safety devices for college students to stay safe on campus.
Pingback: Concealed Carry Handbags | The Questions You Need to Ask Before Buying that Bag! - We Aren't Ready Yet