Loyalty Royalty: Warning: Need For Safe Spaces

JACQUELYN LOI

Opinions Editor

The incoming freshmen for the University of Chicago received a welcome letter a few weeks ago that highlighted the message: do not anticipate safe spaces or trigger warnings.
However, there is a misconception about the role a safe space has, which is to provide help and support to victims of assault, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and violence. Therefore, there must at least be a rudimentary form of a safe space or trigger warning.
It is understandable that the role of a university is to help expose students to substance that can make students uncomfortable in preparation for the real world and to help the student gain a richer form of education. Yet, people who may have never experienced trauma in the form of assault, violence or PTSD have no place to deem what should or should not be acceptable to those that have experienced such trauma. There is nothing wrong with just a simple warning beforehand.
The concept of safe spaces and trigger warnings is indeed a complicated one filled with many different perspectives. However, it must be acknowledged that at least a basic form of these shields should be considered.