As a commuter, I formed my schedule around being able to leave school before dark. But as I got involved with clubs and other student activities, my time in the city changed. At the start of the semester, I had a meeting at the Lincoln Center campus that ran until 9 p.m. I always take an Uber when I leave school that late, but I couldn’t afford to take another $85 ride back to New Jersey.

I decided to take the 1 train to Penn Station. When I walked onto the platform, I was confronted by a group of men in dark hoods. To my right was another group of strangers, with two men and a woman holding needles and sitting on the steps that led to the street level. 

I tried to avoid eye contact with everyone on the platform, but at some point, I glanced back up at the group of men to find several pairs of eyes all on me.

The commute from New Jersey to New York is a different level of fear that I have never faced in my life until I became a commuter student.

One of them asked me to come “hang out” with them and took one step toward me, and then they all laughed as I ran past the group blocking the steps. 

Getting catcalled by random men on the street is something I’ve gotten used to over the years. But the commute from New Jersey to New York is a different level of fear that I have never faced in my life until I became a commuter student. 

Up until the start of my second semester, I struggled with travel anxiety as the catcalling and “accidental” inappropriate touching increased.

The price of security is worth it when I have to commute or walk in the city.

This constant fear continued until I started taking self-defense classes for $130 per month. The price of security is worth it when I have to commute or walk in the city. 

But wouldn’t it be nice if an NYC-based school like Fordham could offer these classes for free? 

I’ve recently heard about Harvard University offering self-defense courses hosted through the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD). The classes are offered at no cost to everyone in the Harvard community, including faculty. 

The HUPD explains that the purpose of these classes is “to empower students, faculty, and staff to combat various types of assaults by providing them with realistic self-defense tactics and techniques.”

Having the option to take self-defense classes at an affordable price is a necessity for both Fordham campuses.

A Jesuit university like Fordham should offer free self-defense classes in order to live up to its mission statement: “Fordham education at all levels is student-centered, and attentive to the development of the whole person.” This would mean that Fordham helps students have all the tools necessary to live a full and safe life. Affordable options for learning self-defense are limited, and finding quality training can be difficult. Having the option to take self-defense classes at an affordable price is a necessity for both Fordham campuses. 

The fear of walking home alone at night is a shared experience among women and trans people in particular.

Mariah Lopez, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’23, shared her own experience of getting catcalled and harassed as she was leaving her midnight shifts at Starbucks during her first year at Fordham.

New York is a frightening place for young women and trans individuals, but it would be less frightening if we had the proper skills to defend ourselves without breaking the bank.

“I was nervous to keep going back (to work), but didn’t really have a choice,” Lopez said. 

A survey conducted by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center noted that “​​almost one in four undergraduate women experienced sexual assault or misconduct at 33 of the nation’s major universities.” Additionally, 46% of transgender and nonbinary individuals have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.

While an estimated 60% of sexual assault crimes are not reported, the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault estimates that 50,000 women are raped a year in NYC, while only 1,500 cases are reported to the police.

Public Safety should host self-defense seminars or weekly meetings that are open to all Fordham students.

Fordham’s ​​Lincoln Center Commuter Student Services website states that there are about 900 full-time undergraduate students who commute to Lincoln Center. In order for commuter students to feel a part of the Fordham community, they often travel at night in order to accommodate clubs and other activities that contribute to the full Fordham experience. But it can be extremely unsafe to do that or to do so comfortably. 

In the week of Feb. 14 alone, the NYPD reported 36 rapes, 352 robberies and five murders. In the past five months, there were three reported rapes of students who attended Lincoln Center. New York is a frightening place for young women and trans individuals, but it would be less frightening if we had the proper skills to defend ourselves without breaking the bank. 

This is where Fordham comes in. Public Safety should host self-defense seminars or weekly meetings that are open to all Fordham students.

Women who have taken self-defense classes are 50-60% less likely to be raped.

Naperville Central High School, a public high school in Illinois, began to offer self-defense classes for its students in 2019. The school charged participating students $20 in order to cover the costs of bringing in mixed martial arts coaches. The school made separate programs for boys and girls that revolved around Rape Aggression Defense.

“Learning to defend yourself is a valuable life skill, especially for women,” Lopez said. “It makes sense that Fordham would offer the opportunity to learn that skill if they care for their students. Especially since New York can be incredibly dangerous.” 

Studies done at the University of Oregon found that women who have taken self-defense classes are 50-60% less likely to be raped. 

I have come to terms with the fact that I cannot decide what actions another person takes. There is absolutely no way I can make a man not assault, cat-call or harm me in any other way. But what I do have control over is how prepared I am for such events. 

Other students who feel vulnerable should have the same preparation. Safety should not be a luxury item. Offering free self-defense courses could be what saves a life and helps prevent assault. 

This goes beyond commuters and students who just want to grab a cup of coffee at night before a long study session. Offering consistent self-defense classes could teach students skills that will stay with them for years to come as they leave Fordham and pursue careers in New York and other large cities.