<p>When I was at Yale in late August, there was a shooting in that same area in the very early a.m. I asked my D about the “Dwight neighbohood”, not knowing anything about it. A couple of her friends are living off-campus this year and I was concerned.
She said that the neighborhood was very sketchy and nowhere near where her friends were living. She said there would be no reason to be walking there that she could see unless you lived there. I had a car and intentionally drove to the area during the day, and felt pretty confident that D would never have a reason to be there, day or night. I think this is the latest of several crimes that seem to be rising in the Dwight area. Obviously the New Haven police can’t give the area enough protection, so I’m glad that the University Police are sending some patrols in.</p>
<p>We live in Los Angeles where USC, and even UCLA have streets that are not safe for a young person alone at night, so I’ve come to terms with D living in a city that can quickly turn from student friendly to unsafe within a few blocks. This is her third year, and she’s had no problems (knock on wood), but she’s good about not going too far off campus late at night, and never doing so alone.
I still feel that Yale is safer than the area around USC because it’s clearer where the boudaries are. I reminded D that every assault I’ve read about happens to a young person alone… and how important it is to travel in groups at night, even on streets next to campus. Hopefully, she’ll use her head.
Thankfully, this young woman was not hurt.</p>