Safety
Personal Safety
Portland is considered to be a very safe city, but just as you would in any large city in the world, there are some simple precautions you can take to ensure your personal safety. And for students, there are some things to consider which you might not otherwise think of.
Keep an eye on your personal belongings – do not leave purses, wallets, laptops and other electronic devises unattended while using the restroom or going to look for a book in the library, for example.
When you buy your textbooks, keep the receipt separate from your books – if they are together, and someone steals your bag, they can return your books for a full refund within the first few days of the term. Then you’ve lost your books AND your money.
Campus public safety can help you engrave your passport number on your laptop, your bicycle, or anything else you’d like to have identified.
Keep your passport in a safe place. If it is stolen, report it to your embassy in the U.S. and to ISSS.
With respect to your personal safety, keep the following in mind:
- Be aware of your surroundings – look like you know where you are.
- Portland State is located in the downtown area where there are not always a lot of people at night. If you are out alone, stay in lighted areas and don’t walk alone at night in areas with which you are unfamiliar.
- Both men and women may use the Women’s Union Escort Service (503-725-5682) to request an escort between your class and your on-campus room or transportation after dark.
- If you feel like someone is following you or threatening you in any way while you are on campus, step into any campus building and call Security (503-725-4404). If you are off campus, call 911 or go into the nearest open business.
- If at any time you experience racial discrimination or harassment from others on the basis of your appearance, ignore negative comments and contact ISSS for help.
This information is not meant to scare you in any way. Portland really is a very safe city. And if you take a few extra precautions, your time in Portland will be wonderful!
Sex is probably not a topic you’d expect to find here, but we find that many international students have difficulty interpreting relationships of an intimate nature. It’s important that you have some information about this type of relationship as well as some resources to use if you have questions.
- It is illegal in the U.S. for one person to force another to have sex no matter what the situation. It is okay to tell another person you do not want to have sex, regardless of your relationship. If you are forced to have sex, it is rape and it is a criminal offense. If you have been raped, do not try to deal with it alone. Call one of the resources listed below for help.
Important Safety Contacts:
- Women’s Resource Center 503-725-5672
- Campus Security (Emergency): 503-725-4404
- Campus Security (non-Emergency): 503-725-4407
- Metro Crisis Intervention Service: 503-223-6161
- Crisis Hotline Clackamas County: 503-655-7847
- Rape Crisis Center: 503-640-5311
- Rape Hotline: 503-235-5333
- Bradley-Angle House Crisis Line: 503-281-2442
- Crisis Pregnancy Centers: Portland: 503-255-7342 Beaverton: 503-643-4503 Milwaukie: 503-659-3336 Gresham: 503-666-6527 Northeast: 503-284-1977