You can never know too much about safety.
The University of Idaho”s Safety Week was created in memory of former UI student Katy Benoit, who was killed by one of her professors in 2011. This year marks the fourth anniversary of her death.
Benoit was in a relationship with the professor – and had filed complaints about him – prior to her murder. The professor killed himself after he shot Benoit.
The events featured during the week were chosen because they offer students important knowledge on various safety topics. Some events provide for more emotional or symbolic value, while others offer primarily educational value.
Regardless of the specific reason they were included, students and people from the entire Moscow community can gain something from attending.
The most common excuse heard for not going to some of these events is that the information is redundant. People say it would be wasting their own time to attend because they already know everything that will be discussed.
The problem with this excuse is that there really is no limit to the amount of times people should be exposed to this information.
Learning the information can help people recognize warning signs in others.
Unfortunately, incidents similar to Benoit”s have happened since 2011 and they will likely continue to happen in the future. Events like Safety Week can”t stop these incidents from happening, but it can”t hurt to keep working to increase our own preparedness, even if it means drilling important information into our heads.
You have to hear something a number of times before it sinks it. Even if attending Safety Week events is simply another time hearing the same information, it could be the time that makes a difference. Perhaps lessons learned during Safety Week would have helped to prevent Benoit”s death.
There may also be new lessons to learn at one of these events, but you will never know if you don”t go. With every passing year, there are more examples to go off of and more lessons to teach. It”s better to go and risk hearing repeated facts you”ve heard before than to not go and risk missing out on new and crucial information you haven”t heard before.
Even one person recognizing warning signs and encouraging others to seek help for mental, physical or emotional struggles can make all the difference.
Safety Week is here for a reason, and the university community should all make an effort to attend any events they can, even if it”s merely to recognize the importance of keeping personal safety a high priority.
–EB