Rebecca Payne Remembered

Northeastern University student Rebecca Payne was found shot to death yesterday, May 20, in her Mission Hill apartment. According to The Boston Herald, Payne was "a curious learner with a passion for athletics." In an open letter published on the Northeastern University website, President Joseph E. Aoun stated that "Becca was dedicated to her studies, excited about her successful and challenging co-op jobs, and passionate about causes dear to her heart." A former roommate remembered Payne as an affable socialite who would don a string of pearls for a night out on the town. Payne's death may very well be linked to someone she knew from a social event or association; law enforcement has not ruled that possibility out.

According to Security on Campus.org, violent crime (defined as robbery, aggravated assault, rape and sexual assault) against students- ages 18 to 24 on U. S. campuses are performed by strangers (with the exception of sexual assaults) and at lower incident rates than non-students. However in the case of sexual assaults, at least two-thirds of all attackers were known to the victims.

As a victim of teen rape and domestic violence, I am interested in the safety of young adults especially women. Drawing ideas from the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN.org), I would like to make the following suggestions to improve your safety while attending college.

· If drinking socially, practice safe drinking. I always told my own children to know the group of people with whom they were socializing. Use a buddy system that extends beyond the designated driver but is someone you can trust. Finally, watch your drinks if you can't watch your own back.

· Be aware of your surroundings. Always! When exiting a building into a mall, movie or an empty campus parking lot at night, I get my keys (and mace) out of my purse before exiting. I attempt to be aware of other noises and footsteps as well as people in parked cars. Instead of enjoying a quiet walk in the night air, I remain posed to react.

· Avoid dangerous situations and locations. I try to stay away from areas that the "angels to trend.".

· Walk with purpose. I am reminded of an incident that happened several years back. Two of my children as young teens and I were doing a walking/subway tour of a large urban city. On foot to a small museum, the tour brochure failed to mention that we would be walking through some "seedy" neighborhoods which we soon discovered. Our tour went to an entirely different level when my naïve son said to me, "Mom, that guy is shooting up!" Pausing briefly to huddle, speaking as calmly as I could I instructed my children to walk, not run as quickly as possible as we got the "hey" out of there! My children continue to tease me to this day about the time I nearly left them behind in the hood.

· Avoid placing music headphones in both ears to distract you. With the invention of the MP3 technology this is a common entertainment for me and a potential opportunity for the criminal.

This suggestion list is partial and does not include the proactive training offered in your campus communities. Contact your campus security office for further information. Other on-line groups include Violence Against Women, National Organization for Women and School Violence Resource Center.

As we pause as a community to honor Rebecca Payne, let us do so by empowering those that will travel ahead in her stead.