Students at SoCal college reveal theyre arming themselves as school is rocked by multiples rape cases

Female students at a California college say they’ve been forced to take their safety into their own hands after a string of rapes, blaming the school for failing to protect them and arming themselves as they cross campus.Cal State San Marcos experienced four rapes in a span of just three weeks in September.Each attack happened during a time period known as the “Red Zone,” a critical time of the school year when 50% of sexual assaults happen as new students experience campus life, and sometimes the party scene, for the first time.The school, home to about 17,000 students, issued a flyer with the heading “How do I help someone involved in a sexual assault incident?” featuring a cartoon cat.

The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.Please provide a valid email.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Megan Chavez, a literature and writing student at CSUSM, doesn’t believe the school’s action plan to prevent sexual assaults and warn students about the “Red Zone” has been enough.Chavez, 25, said she first encountered the “Red Zone” phrase while completing the university’s mandatory Title IX training, which she described to the California Post as glitchy and difficult to navigate.“Everything around keeping students safe and everything around teaching consent, affirmative consent and preventing sexual violence, it just feels super disorganized,” she told The Post.

She also took issue with the cartoon cat used on a flyer with such a serious message.“I looked at that.I was like, ‘This is so stupid,’” she said, “It’s mocking it.”Many female students are also arming themselves with pepper spray and walking together in groups, according to Chavez.“I would say I feel more safe back home than I do here now.

You know, and I feel like that kind of tells me a lot about the school, or that they need to like, yo...