By Chris Benevento, News Staff
With all the news regarding the James “Whitey” Bulger trial and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s day in court, violence has been on the forefront of Boston news this summer. It seems like every other week, Boston has been plagued with a new, high-profile shooting or sexual assault.
In a city where violence has been decreasing over the years, Boston’s residents are taking notice. Students and employees around the city are enrolling in self-defense courses centered on shooter and sexual assault situations.
Companies like Partners Healthcare are actually requiring their employees to enroll in shooter defense courses in an attempt to better equip them for an aggressive situation. Some Northeastern students are opting to enroll in Northeastern’s Sexual Assault Prevention Classes for Women as a result of the sudden spike.
And it’s not a bad idea.
Amy Lord’s South Boston abduction and subsequent murder took place in broad daylight on a Tuesday morning. The recent Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary shooting took place in the middle of the day as well. These instances defy the common notion that violent crimes only happen at night in so-called bad areas.
On top of this, a couple of these high profile attacks have occurred close to Northeastern’s campus. First, Patrick Barry, a 21-year-old Northeastern student was charged with attempting to sexually assault two women on Mission Hill back in June, and more recently there was a broad-daylight shooting that took place on Tremont Street near International Village last month. The latter resulted in the death of a store clerk. The proximity of these crimes to Northeastern has rightly caused concern among both students and parents.
That being said, the media tends to blow this violence out of proportion. While it is important to alert the community to potentially dangerous events within the city, sensationalizing the news only generates fear and panic – especially to parents of Boston students who reside outside of the city.
While parents may be urging their students to enroll in self-defense courses and companies may be requiring precautions of their employees it is no reason to fear the city. These precautions should be looked at as proactive solutions to potential problems resulting from urban life rather than reactive solutions to a recent string of violent crimes.
In the wake of the bombing, Boston was determined to come out of the tragedy stronger than ever – undeterred by fear. That same mentality needs to exist now. The Boston community needs to feel safe within its own borders and be able enjoy the city without being paralyzed by fear because of the actions of a depraved few. Parents with students attending Boston schools should be able to sleep at night knowing their sons and daughters are safe.
Self-defense being on the forefront of Bostonian minds is a good thing. It should be a precaution and a comfort (specifically to parents); however, it should not be out of fear of the city. Violence will always be a part of urban life. It’s being prepared and using common sense that keeps people safe.
Chris Benevento can be reached at [email protected]
