The successful violence intervention and prevention program Safe2Tell released their monthly report indicating that September received a 45 percent increase in monthly tip volume compared to the same month just one year ago. The nonemergency response resource for students to anonymously report threats to their own and others’ safety considers themselves a conduit of information for distributing anonymous tips to local law enforcement, school officials, and other appropriate responding parties.
In the month of September, the report stated that the program received 2,664 tips. For the school year 2019-20, Safe2Tell has received 3,590 actionable tips including 396 suicide threats, 202 reporting bullying, and 170 youth anonymously reporting drugs.
“The rise in tips to Safe2Tell could be the result of students settling into their school environments, connecting with their friends, and becoming more familiar with their surroundings. Starting a new school year can be stressful and lead to unsafe behavior. It’s why the attorney general’s office and Safe2Tell recently worked with other partners to launch a public service announcement campaign so that young people know there are resources to report threats to themselves or others,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser.
In addition to suicide threats, drugs, and bullying, there were 222 duplicate tips reported last month. Safe2Tell and officials believe that duplicate tips, or reports regarding a concern or event that has already been reported, are an indicator of a healthy reporting culture within a community.
“Suicide remains the number-one tip that Safe2Tell has received for the past four years. Although we encourage students to talk to trusted, caring adults about their concerns, Coloradans should take comfort knowing that Safe2Tell offers an additional layer of protection when youth are struggling,” said Essi Ellis, director of Safe2Tell.
For LGBTQ youth, and particularly those who identify as trans or gender noncomforming, the statistics are alarming when it comes to the instances of suicide. The Trevor Project stated in a recent survey that 39 percent of LGBTQ youth have considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months. This percentage increased by 15 percent when it was presented to transgender and nonbinary youth.
With resources such as Safe2Tell, those who may be concerned about friends or family members can call or text the hotline and receive resources and further assistance as necessary.
“The story these numbers tell is one of Coloradans taking student well-being and safety seriously and using this valuable resource effectively. It’s also a testament to our hard-working team that is passionate about serving the public in this important way,” said Kevin McElyea, director of the Colorado Information Analysis Center.
Safe2Tell began in response to the school massacre at Columbine High School in 1999 which left 15 dead and 21 wounded. As the country mourned, Colorado’s Attorney General Ken Salazar and Governor Bill Owens convened a state-wide study to offer recommendations that could prevent another school massacre from ever happening again.
While that was nearly 20 years ago, and many imagined that schools would never see that kind of tragedy again, the U.S. continues to see devastating attacks on a large and small scale from youth-to-youth inflicted violence. This September, a tip to Safe2Tell was received about a possible school attack, and while law enforcement investigated and determined there was no immediate threat, it’s the need to continue monitoring that make the implementation of these types of programs so important.
To make a report, individuals can call 1-877-542-7233 from anywhere, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Reports also can be made at Safe2Tell.org or through the Safe2Tell mobile app which is available on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
