Further thoughts on Safety and Security at Curtin

I went to the Student Expo today.  I had an interesting conversation with the lady who did the Security session yesterday.  I was interested to find out whether Curtin was perceived as a dangerous place, in comparison to the environment I have lived in in London.  She said the lecture was pitched at this level to make students aware what can happen if they make themselves vulnerable.  She said that very few people get mugged, but if they are, they will be, typically, small and slight, using an Ipod, with earpieces in both ears, and probably carrying an obvious laptop.  Anyone can access campus, and muggers are typically from some sort of deprived background.  So it is a fairly common pattern across the world.  If you make yourself vulnerable, and have attractive possessions, you will get mugged. 

Additionally she said the local newspapers would make a feature of this type of incident, and to her knowledge, some of the "facts" reported, were different to the situations that had been reported to her, as the Security Officer.  In the last week or so, the newspaper reported that 5 people had been assaulted.  She was aware of only 4, of whom only 1 had been assaulted by punching.  Only one had been ordered to hand over something valuable (laptop) and two girls together had been ordered to hand over their MacDonalds, which they did.  I think if I had had a MacDonalds, I would have paid them to take it away!?  Perhaps I am being flippant, but the 1-1 conversation did put it into perspective.  I think if you are just normally streetwise, you will be ok.