“I never thought it would happen here.” We hear this statement repeatedly in the aftermath of tragic incidents. Some colleges and universities find themselves joining in this distressing chorus when their community becomes the target of a rampage shooting or hostage situation. While this form of violence is still very rare on campuses, colleges are starting to take a hard look at just how vulnerable they are to this new form of attack.
Cyber-stalking, predatory drugs, and threats of terrorism are other new types of violence that colleges must learn to address. Sexual assault, hazing, rioting, and hate crimes have been around for a long time, but because they most often occur late at night, under a haze of alcohol, and between acquaintances, we are still studying intervention and prevention effectiveness.
Nicoletti-Flater is on the forefront of campus violence discovery in a number of ways. We are working towards translating the “lessons learned” from the workplace and schools for work in campus environments. We offer forums for multiple disciplines to come together to share successes and learn from each other. We are closely following trends in campus violence by analyzing cases and monitoring statistics to anticipate new developments.
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