A 22-year-old woman was raped in the early hours of Thursday (October 16th) morning, after travelling by taxi from the city centre to the university area. It is believed that the man whom she was travelling with may well have been her attacker. This follows a string of attacks from last year, and brings into question the safety of all students living in that area. The Gown spoke to VP for Community, Laura Hawthorne, who informed us that along with a security representative from the Students’ Union, she attended a meeting with Holyland residents on Thursday evening to discuss the possibility of a night bus running from the Union to all student residential areas. Quotes are currently being processed in regard to the price of a bus rental to get this service up and running.
12 comments:
Does no-one give a damn?
It says A LOT when people would rather comment on sabbs and their apparent inefficiences than this.
I think it is a scary time for young women around the uni area. 17 rapes in the area since april. Is the Union doing enough?
could be something to ask at the public District Policing Partnership meeting in the Union on the 4th of November.
John Rodger... is that you!? Come back to run the Union will you! The other guy just is not good
Q to bloggers: Do YOU feel safe in Belfast?
To see no police officers out at night in a fortnight where 4 rapes have been committed is atrocious, the union also needs to step up and you'd think at least there'd be a bulletin on QOL to be more alert, walk home with at least one other person etc.
Sarah - do you think that that would have any benfit at all? People have been told this since they were four years old and they still go out and get pissed, leave clubs on their own before walking down dimmly lit streets.
If people fail to learn the lessons of the past few weeks then how can some idiotic officer change that?
The real pressure should be put on the police to lock up these vile people rather than patronising students...
"patronising students"... it's easy to get complacent, higher profile bulletins like the one today does help, it shakes people up to be more aware of their surroundings, in my opinion its at least one week too late. Very sluggish of the union.
Srah - I bet you were one of the people complaing about the Amnesty survey a few weeks back, but you can't have youre cake and eat it. You want students to be told that if they walk home alone they'll get raped, which is surely the reason why most students feel that a girl is partially responsible for being raped.
There's nothing a union can do that will make one bit of difference - this is about personal responsibility and is an issue about making streets secure, which is a policing issue.
It's John O'Doherty, independent member of the the South Belfast DPP.
Our esteemed brother Cllr. Thomas Hogg is a member of South Belfast DPP is he not? Perhaps, if the Gown, SU Officers or anyone else express any genuine concern they would liaise with him to further represent student interests? We are fortunate to have a QUB student in such a public position.
Belfast District Policing Partnership
Councillor Christopher Stalford (Chairman)
Councillor Michael Browne
Councillor David Browne
Councillor Ian Crozier
Councillor Tierna Cunningham
Councillor Tom Ekin
Councillor Marie Cush
Councillor Patrick McCarthy
Councillor Frank McCoubrey
Councillor Margaret McKenzie
Mrs. Valerie Allen (Vice Chairman)
Miss. Naomi Gaston
Ms. Brónach Graham
Mr. Thomas Hogg
Miss. Grainne Maskey
Ms. Geraldine McAteer
Ms. Carmel McKinney
Mr. Padraig O'Muirigh
Ms. Deborah Watters
South Belfast Sub-Group
Councillor Ruth Patterson (Chairman)
Councillor Chrissie Mhic Giolla
Mhín
Councillor Patrick McCarthy
Councillor Margaret McClenaghan
Councillor Christopher Stalford
Councillor Robert Stoker
Ms. Anne Monaghan
Mr. Hassan Mansour
Mr. John O'Doherty (Vice Chairman)
Mr. Vincent Parker
Mr. Ben Preston
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