Female students at Cal State San Marcos are carrying pepper spray and traveling in packs after four rapes struck the campus within three weeks.
The attacks were reported on Sept. 5, 6, 13 and 18 across The Quad, University Village Apartments and Black Oak Hall, university spokesperson Jerry McCormick confirmed. A fifth person reported a sexual assault on Sept. 21 after an alleged dorm break-in. McCormick said the cases are not believed to be connected and that those involved knew each other.
Megan Chavez, 25, a literature and writing student, told The Post that many female students have begun arming themselves with pepper spray and walking together in groups. She first encountered the term “Red Zone” while completing the university’s mandatory Title IX training, which she described as glitchy and difficult to navigate.
“Everything around keeping students safe and everything around teaching consent, affirmative consent and preventing sexual violence, it just feels super disorganized,” she said.
Chavez also took issue with a school flyer that carried the heading “How do I help someone involved in a sexual assault incident?” and featured a cartoon cat.
“I looked at that. I was like, ‘This is so stupid,'” she said. “It’s mocking it.”
The “Red Zone” refers to a critical period early in the school year when approximately 50% of sexual assaults occur, as new students experience campus life and sometimes the party scene for the first time. The university already allows students to request someone to accompany them across campus or escort them to their car, but Chavez believes more is needed.
Adamaris Maya, 18, a freshman studying psychology, told The Post that the security situation has left her questioning her decision to attend.
“I would say I feel more safe back home than I do here now. You know, and I feel like that kind of tells me a lot about the school, or that they need to like, you know, have a better like security system or something because yeah. Now I’m. I think I should have stayed home instead of coming,” she said.
Nohemi Escano, 18, told The Post she fears the violence could escalate beyond sexual assault.
“I feel like if this is how we’re starting the year, this will eventually escalate to something worse,” she said.
“After that, what comes next? Possible murder, possible kidnapping. It scales. It goes through levels, and that doesn’t make me feel safe. In fact, I have two 8 p.m. Classes. I don’t feel safe,” she continued.
Escano pushed back against any suggestion that victims’ behavior was to blame.
“It’s important to notice and to highlight that we as students have the right to have fun, to not be sober, and still be safe. I’m tired of hearing people say, ‘Well, maybe they were drunk, maybe they were high, maybe they were not sober. People have the right to have fun and be safe,'” she added.
University President Ellen Neufeldt has addressed the reports, telling students the school was “doubling down” on efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence. She announced increased police patrols, overnight security in residential communities and 24-hour front desk staffing and guest registration at North Commons and Black Oak Hall.
The school, located in San Diego County, is home to about 17,000 students.
