Dunedin students, absolved from responsibility over the increasingly violent nature of the inner city, are now taking the opportunity to express the constant and harrowing fear in which they find themselves living.
Critic interviewed several students, all of whom wished to remain anonymous for fear of being labelled a “pussy” by their flatmates/hallmates and being made to sack a goon as punishment.
One male Castle Street resident who studies Geography, who also may or may not be a member of the Alhambra Premier grade team, told Critic that, “Dunedin town on your average Saturday is like a fucking war zone, it’s fucking Bosnia out there. In fact if Bosnia had Velvet Burger they probably call it the Dunedin of South America.”
The student told Critic that despite the fact that he was a “pretty big cunt”, he often felt unsafe in the central city and not just at night. “Sometimes during the day when I’m heading to my lectures those mincing little Auckland hipster fuckwits try to start shit, I’ve fair had enough of them and their skinny jeans.”
When pressed for details on how the ‘hipsters’ attempted to “start shit” the student was vague, mumbling something about them walking round like they own the place and sometimes having enough money to afford beer that wasn’t Southern Gold.
Another student, a first year girl from Salmond, told our reporter that she often felt unsafe whilst at Starters bar. “I’m just always getting the vibe that guys in Dunedin are just trying to pick me up for a Sogo’s fuelled one night stand, I really worry about protecting the flower of my innocence.”
When asked more specifically about physical violence in the centre of the city, the first-year was less specific, citing the fact that she had never ventured further than the Centre City New World as limiting her ability to comment on matters that were “a whole world away” from where she lived.
Fear and loathing in Dunedin
