Woman assaulted at campus party
July 15, 2007
Adapted from the Morning Call
A university football player has been ordered held to face court on charges of raping a female student at a campus party.
A 19-year-old is charged with rape and aggravated indecent assault. He walked away uncuffed from a hearing on $20,000 bail.
The alleged rape is the university's first of the year and marks the institution's seventh since 2005, said a university spokesman.
''To expect to have a zero in the [rape] category every year would be unrealistic,'' he said. ''But at the same time, whether you have one or eight, it is a serious concern for us.''
According to court documents:
At a party, the alleged victim and her friend went into a bathroom where the man was waiting by the sink. After the two women both drank a ''beer bong'' – beer rapidly consumed through a funnel – the man pulled the victim close to him and the two began to kiss. The victim's friend then left the bathroom.
He then allegedly took the victim into a stall and raped her.
Later that night, at 1:44 a.m., the victim went to university police and reported the incident. A few days later, she was shown a five-photo lineup and immediately identified the man as the rapist.
This alleged rape would be the 15th sexual assault on campus since 2005.
A linebacker, he has been suspended indefinitely from the school's football team, said the institution's sports information director.
''We don't tie this into that he was a student athlete. The student just happened to be an athlete,'' the spokesman said, adding that the student's enrollment at the university is under review. The internal investigation is separate from the town’s police inquiry.
The spokesman said even if the student is found not guilty, he might not be allowed to remain a student at the university, which has 9,800 full- and part-time students.
He also said the university has instituted several self-defense classes and other educational programs to help protect and warn students against sexual abuse.
''And this is not only for women, but for men as well,'' he said. ''Rape education is always important.'' |
