UNCW’s CARE Center supports students amid rise in campus crime reports
NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — UNCW’s CARE Center, which stands for Campus Advocacy, Resources, and Education, is a vital source of support for students who have been victims of different types of crimes.
Jen August is the center’s director.
“We are a part of the college culture. We’re able to do a lot of prevention work and education around these issues an around specifically what we see happening with these issues on our campus, but also, it’s important to have people that are certified trained professionals who know how to navigate the systems that are available to students,” says August.
Resources like CARE are needed because UNCW’s 2024 report shows an increase in certain areas.
On-campus rape reports were at 14, two more than the previous year.
Dating violence increased from 11 to 17 reports and stalking reports doubled, from 12 in 2023 to 24 in this year’s report.
UNCW’s Lieutenant Investigator, Vanessa Torroella, says the numbers are changing because of many varying factors.
“I think it has to partly do with the increase in numbers of student registration here on campus, so, the larger the population, the more crimes you’re going to have reported, but I also think that has to do with the fact that we have been doing a lot of collaboration with community partners,” said Torroella.
Community partners like Coastal Horizons Rape Crisis Center, where Program Director, Chelsea Croom, says she hopes the increase in numbers comes from increasing education.
“I think there is more knowledge about what services are offered. I think people may be feeling more safe about that, less fear of the system. I think, in more recent years, we’ve done a better job about preparing people for what it looks like if you do report and the steps to take after that,” said Croom.
Violent sex crimes are usually under-reported, but former state legislator, Susie Hamilton, says advocacy groups like RCC and CARE, are making students feel safe and heard.
“Look at state-supported programs. Where that kind of intervention is being offered and where awareness is being promoted and victim, you know, reporting and all of the things that CARE is doing at UNCW. I’d want an evaluation of how those programs are working at each of our universities in the system,” said Hamilton.
Here is the link to UNCW’s 2024 Security Report.
https://uncw.edu/seahawk-life/services/police/annual-security-report
