Personal Safety

StFX University and Antigonish are safe communities. Violent crime is not common and not very likely to occur to a resident or visitor. However, thefts and small crimes do happen, as in any other towns or cities. The material on this website was produced to educate individuals on crime prevention so that they can live in, work in, or visit Antigonish safely and enjoyably.

The most common type of crime is theft. DO NOT leave your purse, backpack, or other property unattended in public places.
 
These basic steps seem extremely simple, but they work. The most important thing in any of these situations is to be aware of your surroundings at all times and to trust your gut instinct. If a certain person, place, or situation makes you feel uncomfortable, leave.

At a Club or At a Party

• Never let your drink out of your sight and if it does, get a new one.
• Don't sample drinks from people, even friends or acquaintances.
• Most victims of sexual assault know their attacker.
• While "date rape" drugs have been gaining in popularity, alcohol still accounts for the majority of sexual assaults where the victim is unconscious during the attack. If you are going to drink, do so responsibly or have friends you trust there to watch over you.

Driving

• Keep all the doors locked, even when you are inside the car.
• Park in well lit areas.
• Visually inspect the interior of the vehicle before you get in.
• Have your keys ready before you get to the door, holding them between your thumb and forefinger in a ready position. If you are attacked, they can be used as a defensive tool and fumbling for your keys makes you more vulnerable to an attack.
• Never hold your keys interlaced between your fingers, because keys are very brittle and will break if you hit someone while holding them in this manner.
• If someone tries to get in your car while you’re driving, simply drive off. If you’re unable to do this, hold down on your horn to alert other people to your situation.

General Tips

• Bring a cell phone along if you have one. This way you can always call for help without having to look for a phone.
• Stay alert, stand tall and be confident. Attackers are more likely to target a person who appears uncertain or afraid.
• Carry cash and valuables in a front or inside pocket to reduce the attraction for potential thieves. If you do need to carry a purse or bag of some sort, consider using a fanny pack.
• Avoid carrying large sums of cash, but if you have to, be discreet about it.
• If you wish to give someone spare change, never pull out your wallet or open your purse, take change out of your pocket instead.
• Use well-lit streets, stay to the middle of the sidewalk and avoid alleyways.
• Approach shadowy doorways, shrubbery, or anything that someone could hide behind with extra caution.
• If you feel uneasy walking alone, find someone you know who will go out with you, or plan your route along busy streets so that there are always people around you.
• If you think someone is following you, cross the street and turn to walk in the opposite direction to get a good look at them and then go find the nearest place to alert the authorities.
• If you think a car is following you, immediately do a U-turn, take note of the driver and license plate number, continue to walk in the opposite direction and call the authorities from the nearest possible location.
• Carry a whistle or personal safety alarm so you can alert others if you are attacked.
• If you are verbally harassed do not respond, keep walking and notify the nearest authority.

If You Are Stalked or Attacked

• The most important thing is to alert Campus Security or the police. They are the best resources for stopping the problem and the earlier you contact them, the earlier they can help.
• Keep a written record of everything. Tell friends, relatives, employers, co-workers or anyone else who witnesses an incident of your problem, so that they can keep a record as well.
• Most importantly, remember that it is not your fault and you have nothing to be ashamed of. You will need help and emotional support in this difficult time, whether it comes from friends, relatives or support groups.
• If you are attacked, try to comply with the attacker’s wishes. If they want you to turn over cash and valuables, these can be replaced.
• Try to remain calm throughout the situation, as becoming hysterical will only make the situation worse and put the attacker more on edge.
• If you are being physically or sexually assaulted, try to get attention. A whistle or personal alarm is very effective. If you have to scream for help, try yelling "fire" to get people’s attention as opposed to yelling "help.”
• Try to remember details about the person’s appearance, such as their height, age, hair or eye colour, or any tattoos or scars.
• Report the incident immediately. The details are fresher in your mind and the police have a better chance of catching the offender in the area.

Running, Jogging or Rollerblading

• Make sure you know your route.
• Avoid wooded areas at night, and stay in well-lit areas.
• Try to run facing oncoming traffic and wear reflective clothing.
• Personal stereos and iPods make it hard to be fully aware of your surroundings so try not to use them, especially at night.
• When cycling or rollerblading, wear a helmet and reflective clothing, especially when you use the roadways.

Using an ATM

• If anything strikes you as suspicious use a different machine. Trust your gut instinct.
• After dark make sure to look for well-lit machines.
• Do not use a machine if there is someone hanging around.
• Cover the keypad with one hand while typing in your code with the other, even if you are by yourself. You may feel silly doing it, but it is a good habit to start and there have been cases of people using binoculars or video cameras to capture pin numbers.
• If no money comes out, make sure to check the money slot for blockages and notify the bank immediately. A recent popular scam has been for people to block the money slot with a piece of plastic and then return to collect the money after the customer leaves.
• If using a drive-through bank machine, make sure all of your car doors are locked.