Tuesday, March 24, 2009
It’s not uncommon to have a distorted image of the town you grew up in or the one in which you currently reside. I have discovered that I viewed Lawrence in a very picturesque way.
I thought of it as a friendly town, where neighbors stroll by walking their dogs, and sometimes I didn’t even lock my car at night. Unfortunately, my comfort and that picturesque image have been shattered.
Part of my naiveté could be because Lawrence is nestled between Topeka and Kansas City, two metropolises with very noticeable crime rates. Perhaps this allowed the crime rates in our own city to seem minor in contrast.
But the truth is that we need to shed some light on these darker criminal acts that occur in and around our city.
Beginning March 1, the Lawrence Journal-World did a 3-day spread on sexual assaults in Lawrence. According to its numbers, there have been more than 600 reported assaults since 2005. Not only did that number surprise me, but quite frankly, as a 22-year-old female, I was scared.
I grew up fearing the dark alleys and streets. But, as the article reminded me, a common theme amongst these occurrences is that the victims tend to be acquainted with their attacker and the assaults often occur in well-populated areas. We don’t need to be petrified by our apartment complexes or our friends, but we do need to be wary.
I’m not trying to shatter anyone’s “Pleasantville” image of Lawrence but I was surprised by the numbers and frequency of physical assaults.
In light of these articles and certain events that have occurred over the past couple years around our campus, it is important to know the reality of our city and to realize that no place is sheltered from the unforeseeable situations that can forever alter a life.
— McNaughton is a Topeka senior in English and journalism.
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Comments
McNaughton: Time to modify our image of 'Pleasantville' Lawrence
I agree. It does seem a little strange that people still have an almost medieval concept of what a "bad" guy is going to look like and where he is likely to lurk. Even the baddest of bad don't want to be in a Lawrence alley. I took a short cut to the bus stop down the alley between Mass and New Hampshire, 10th to 9th. Gross. Very, very gross. Why be amazed that people do things in broad daylight, that they are not concerned if people see them? Just be sensible and actually get to know someone before you decide about their character. I'm sure that trying very hard not to be judgmental is sweet, but it can lead to making some very bad judgments. Or, choices, if you prefer.
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