The survey revealed that more than 82% of college students that responded report feeling concerned about their personal safety as they return to campus this fall, with more than half saying they are very or extremely concerned. According to the students, even common activities of campus life make them feel unsafe, like being in an unfamiliar area (82%), interacting with strangers (78%), walking home in the dark (74%), or leaving a bar/party alone (65%).

An overwhelming majority of college students (97%) say they consider their personal safety as they go about daily campus life and try to protect themselves by always carrying their phone (75%), trying to familiarise themselves with their surroundings (58%) or travelling in groups or pairs (43%).

Only 17% of college students, however, utilise campus security escorts, and only 13% of college students participate in campus prevention programmes to feel safer. In addition, more than 55% of college students admit they have not called friends for help when they’ve felt unsafe because they feared they’d be judged by them.

“Our mission is rooted in the ideology that the best education in the world is useless if a student doesn’t leave school with a healthy mind and body. The survey findings reinforce that many students don’t make use of campus resources available to them,” said Jessica Mertz, Executive Director at Clery Center. “Together with like-minded organisations like ADT, we’re focusing on generating greater awareness for free and low-cost resources that can help college students find comfort and support on campus.”

ADT saw a void in the industry for a comprehensive mobile safety app and developed Sosecure to help people feel safe on the go. The app allows users to call for help by sliding a button, or SMS chat, or video, or hands-free with a secret code word. Once activated, Sosecure discretely connects users with trained ADT monitoring security professionals who can assess the situation and notify 911 with the user’s location and profile details to help first responders find them faster.

“For millions of college students, this is a year like no other, and while they juggle the demands of classes, social activities, and navigating the pandemic, they shouldn’t have to bear the extra burden of worrying about their personal safety,” says Leah Page, Vice President of Mobile Security & Strategic Projects at ADT. “The college years are meant to be filled with adventure, and with the always-on support of the Sosecure app, it’s our hope that students feel empowered to live confidently and parents like myself can breathe easier knowing that our students have a resource to seek trusted help whenever they need it.”