From Harrington to Huguely

To keep myself occupied as I made the trek back to my apartment, I grabbed today’s issue of The Cavalier Daily on my way out of class. Anyone who has been at UVA or has paid attention to what has been going on in Charlottesville for the last 6 months would instantly recognize the mug shot placed smack on the front page. There is no mistaking former UVA lacrosse player and student, George Huguely’s photograph taken that tragic night last May. The article concerns the date set for his trial on January 21, 2011. Even though the murder of Yeardley Love was a confined incident based off of an unhealthy relationship, Huguely’s face still gives me shivers. Just the reminder of the danger he brought to our univsersity is unsettling and has made me aware that I do not feel as safe here as I once did.

Starting off my first year with the news of Morgan Harrington as well as a couple other late night incidents certainly did not help the situation. Just this past Sunday the University community received an email notification regarding a shooting that occurred on 13^th street late Saturday night. And over the summer I was sent a handful of other emails letting me know that attacks and robberies had occurred on and around Grounds. As much as I love this place I now call home, I am really not sure I feel completely safe here. Besides just getting an email the next morning telling me to “be aware of your surroundings,” I want to know what the Charlottesville and UVA police are doing to keep the students safe. Maybe the level of crime going on is not out of the ordinary, and we are just being alerted to stay informed. However, I truly feel that it is a problem that is not being addressed by UVA as a whole. My inbox having a message waiting, giving me a brief synopsis of the event is not going to make me feel any better. The way the University and the Charlottesville communities interact obviously needs to change in some way to reduce these instances. As students, we should not be nervous for our safety as we walk home at night.

 

 

Sydney