Written by Olivia Freeman-Bradley
The author stands outside Seattle Pacific University’s Safety and Security office at dusk. The anonymous student says initial support from OSS faded quickly after reporting a gun threat, leading to months of frustration, fear, and disciplinary consequences.
Photo by Anonymous
It began with a text message referencing a threat of a gun, specifically, a “G43 with a switch.” The threat, sent by a student to another over a relationship dispute, was alarming enough for a student and her roommate to report the incident to the Office of Safety and Security (OSS). What followed was a months-long ordeal marked by fear, silence, and what she describes as “pure dismissal” from the very offices meant to protect her.
“I wasn’t prepared,” said the student, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons. “You hope the school takes it seriously. At first, they did. But eventually, they didn’t want to hear it anymore.”
The initial response from OSS was swift. Emails, meetings of what seemed to be genuine concern and care. But over time, the student says, communication slowed, and the tone shifted. Despite bringing forward serious concerns like threats, rumors, and emotional distress, she felt like she was being dismissed.
“It was like they already picked a side,” she said. “We’d tell our story, and sometimes they’d laugh. Literal laughter in meetings.” This was about a sexually explicit rumor being spread about her and her roommate across campus.
One incident she recounted involved false rumors of a sexual relationship with her roommate and alleged attempts to solicit another student. “Instead of shutting down the lies, they asked us what we were wearing,” she said. “They made it seem like we deserved it.”
Ultimately, OSS and the disciplinary board issued a no-contact order between all parties, but the repercussions went deeper. The student was placed on probation after unknowingly violating the terms. She said the mental toll was worse than any disciplinary consequence: “I had to watch every word. Every glance. My name was dragged through campus, and the school said they were allowed to keep talking about me.”
Only after the other party left the university did OSS’s treatment shift. “They were nicer once I was the only one left,” she said.
Looking back, she believes structural changes are needed. “One person should not be the whole board. Especially when that person knows the other student,” she said. “There needs to be balance. There needs to be someone who will actually listen.”
When asked what advice she’d give another student facing OSS, she paused. “Just do the best you can. Don’t expect fairness, but hope for it.”
The anonymous student is gazing at an Office of Safety and Security vehicle. Even a year after the ordeal, the student heavily mistrusts the school and the disciplinary board for the way they treated her.
Photo taken by the Author, Olivia Freeman.