Last Wednesday, Taylor Woolrich ’16 wrote a column for Fox News in which she discussed her experience being stalked, criticizing the College’s policy prohibiting firearms. The College does not allow the possession, manufacture, transfer, sale or use of weapons by any individual on College property or at College-sanctioned events.
Woolrich said that Richard Bennett, a 67-year-old man, started following her four years ago when he saw her at a café where she worked. Despite multiple restraining orders, Bennett continued to harass her, sending her multiple messages.
When Woolrich returned home this summer, she said, Bennett arrived at her home one morning, which violated his restraining order and led to his arrest. While searching his car, the police found what they deemed a “rape kit” — including a slip noose, a knife and gloves.
At the annual Students for Concealed Carry conference in Washington D.C. on Aug. 5, Woolrich said that the College did not permit her to carry firearms on campus even though she felt unsafe. She added that the College and Safety and Security did not adequately respond to her concern about safety.
Woolrich’s message went viral the following week, with dozens of news outlets and advocacy groups reporting and commenting on her story. She later noted to Today that she intended to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the victims of stalking, not to join the debate on gun control.
The national discussion sparked by her comments has made its way to Hanover in the weeks after her column’s publication. While Woolrich did not respond to The Dartmouth’s request for comment, students reflected on the issues raised by her column in the days following her statements.
Alex Lee ’16 said that the prospect of students carrying arms on campus makes him uncomfortable because factors like alcohol could jeopardize safety with firearms present.
While he said he believes the firearm ban on campus is a good regulation, Aaron Pellowski ‘15 said that the College should have made an exception for this specific case, though he recognized that the exception could set a precedent.
“It’s an innocuous exception because it’s not like, all the sudden, you are going to have a ton of people just saying, ‘Oh I feel endangered and that’s why I need to have a gun or three guns or a shot gun in my dorm room,” he said.
Vivienne Kim ’16 said that she can understand the arguments of both the College and Woolrich. She said that, given fatal shootings on college campuses, she can understand why the College is hesitant to allow students to have guns.
“I think that everybody has right to their own safety and obviously, and this is a very serious issue that has been greatly affecting her life in so many different areas,” she said. “On the other hand, I’m sure the administration and Safety and Security are very concerned about possibility and what could potentially happen, given that a student would carry a concealed weapon or students in general would be allowed to carry concealed weapons.”
After considering both sides of the issue, Prodhi Manisha ’17 said that possession of firearms should be totally banned on campus, given recent school shootings.
Manisha added that along with escorts from Safety and Security, Woolrich should be allowed to have a means of self-defense other than firearms like pepper spray.
Director of communications at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Ladd Everitt said prohibiting firearms on campus makes it easier for College security members and local law enforcement groups to identify and, if necessary, disarm a suspect.
President of the Crime Prevention Research Center John Lott said that a Safety and Security escort would not necessarily guarantee Woolrich’s safety, if officers are unarmed.
Everitt said that since the stalker is under custody, behind bars and going through the judicial process, campus security’s offer to escort her is a reasonable response that would protect her.
Safety and Security Director Harry Kinne declined to comment, citing privacy considerations for the student.
Students who report being stalked receive “individualized attention and heightened protection,” the College said in a statement last week. Director of media relations Diana Lawrence noted in an email that Dartmouth cannot comment on individual students’ situations because of federal privacy laws.
Harvard University, Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University prohibit students carrying weapons and firearms on campus.
New Hampshire state law does not have any licensing requirements for the purchase or possession of any rifle, shotgun or handgun.
Bennett is currently accused of violating the restraining order and felony stalking along with other charges. His next court date is Aug. 20. If sentenced, he could serve up to four years in prison.
