Stanford released its annual “2019 Safety, Security & Fire Report,” including crime statistics from 2016 to 2018 at the main campus, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and two Stanford-operated hospitals. Notably, the campus saw a surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes in 2017. 

The 116-page report also provided advice and information on campus safety and crime prevention for the upcoming academic year. 

Between 2016 and 2018, there were 140 reports of sex offenses, 49 of stalking and 32 reports of domestic violence. The number of cases have risen since the previous report, including statistics from 2013 through 2015, that saw 95 reports of sex offenses, 38 of stalking and 35 of domestic violence. 

The new report also found that 200 arrests were for weapons possession and violations of liquor and drug laws, down from the 243 reported in the previous period.

The latest report also reveals that hate crimes at Stanford have increased from five between 2013 and 2015, to 34 between 2016 and 2018.

2017 alone saw 22 hate crimes, all in the form of swastikas painted around campus, eight in student residences. Only four reports of hate crimes were made last calendar year: one defacement of a disabled parking sign, the posting of a sign “commenting on national origin” affixed to a student’s door and two thefts that involved an element of bias against a religion. 

The fire safety section of the report found 10 unintentional kitchen/laundry fires ranging in cost from $0 to $100,000 in damages. No injuries resulted from these fires.  Stanford has taken steps, including installing safety systems and sprinklers, to prevent future fires, the report said, the report said.  

The report is a culmination of data retrieved by SUDPS with aid from the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, Title IX Office and other designated Campus Security Authorities (CSAs), as well as local fire and police departments.

According to federal law, SUDPS is mandated to release the report each year. 

The report is one of three including sexual harassment statistics that Stanford is expected to release this year. The 2019 AAU (Association of American Universities) Survey on Sexual Assault and Harassment and 2018-19 Stanford Title IX/Sexual Harassment Report cover sexual harassment claims reported by students, faculty and staff. 

Contact Leily Rezvani at lrezvani ‘at’ stanford.edu.