Why is it always white vans? The other day, a friend shared that the daughter of a friend was being stalked and was nearly abducted by a man in a white van with a teal stripe down the side on the campus where I teach. On my campus?! I don’t know the girl. She is not one of my students. But, I care. It is somebody’s daughter. It could be mine. It could be a student I know. Yes, I care.
Be aware. Not only for yourself and your closest friends and family, but also for the daughters of friends of friends and people you don’t know. Love your neighbor means protect your neighbor.
I refuse to live in fear, but I also refuse to allow my neighbors to live in fear. The world is a very scary place—especially for young women. Be observant. If something seems wrong or out of place, don’t dismiss it. If someone comes to you for help, help. If someone is in trouble, do something.
I shared my friend’s post with my students. The ladies in the class were well aware of the attempted abduction—and another unrelated one around the same time! We discussed it in class. I want my students to know that I am there for them. I will do more than call the police to help them. I drove home from campus on Thursday a bit slower than usual with an eye out for a white van with a teal stripe. (Incidentally, the van pictured above is not the involved van. The picture of the actual van was removed from social media.) I had no worries about what I would have done, if I saw the van.
We can no longer be by-standers. We must involve ourselves in the safety and welfare of our neighbor. Otherwise, we are as guilty as the predators who walk among us.
Carpe momento!