HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — More and more college campuses are permitting students to carry pepper spray for self protection. Regent University students praised the school’s decision to lift its long-standing ban earlier this year. Pepper spray was once considered a weapon at many institutions.
“I think it’s very common. I see a lot of girls walking around especially with it on their keychains,” said Olivia DeJesus, who was walking home from practice Wednesday afternoon with fellow junior at Old Dominion University Valentina Culaciati. They’re teammates on the volleyball team.
Neither of them carries pepper spray, but they take comfort in knowing that they have that option.
“I think it makes a lot girls feel safe around here. Not only girls, guys too,” DeJesus said.
“I think it’s very useful,” Culaciati said. “We don’t really do it because we don’t really walk long distances, but I know there’s a lot of girls and guys that do it.”
Officially, ODU says it does not ban pepper spray, but will evaluate any usage of it to ensure that it was in self-defense.
Pepper spray was permitted on Regent’s campus for the first time ever this semester. We found only a few that still ban it.
The University of Virginia still lists pepper spray among its prohibited items. Virginia Tech permits pepper spray.
On the Peninsula, Christopher Newport University has permitted students to carry pepper spray for decades. “Since I’ve been here which is almost 22 years,” said Kevin Hughes, Vice President for Student Affairs. “We have a number of students that like to have it. We haven’t had anybody who’s ever used it, but we do have students who like to have it because they feel safer.”
Students at Virginia Commonwealth can carry pepper spray and the university has an extensive web page with tips on how to use it safely and effectively.