VOL. CXVIII, No. 12
DailyBarometer.com
Monday, September 28, 2015 Oregon State University
Admins address recent sexual assault report Jeremy Melamed | THE DAILY BAROMETER
Student affairs, office of equity and inclusion discuss campus awareness, resources available By Sean Bassinger The Daily Barometer
University administrators have further responded to a sexual assault reported outside near Waldo Hall and Arnold Dining Center early Wednesday Morning. Oregon State University released an alert of the reported assault that occurred Sept. 23 at 1:30 a.m. Oregon State Police and the Department of Safety launched an investigation following the alert. The attacker was described as a white male in his 40s with grayish black hair. There is no additional information about the attacker at this time, but law enforcement officials will keep the university updated, according to an email from Angelo Gomez, executive director of equity and inclusion at OSU. “We abhor and condemn the perpetrator’s despicable assault on the survivor, and our hearts go out to her,” Gomez said. “Our first
response is to reach out to the survivor to offer assistance.” One such means of assistance includes the new Survivor Resource and Advocacy Center located at Student Health Services in Plageman 311. The SARC strives to establish a secure environment for survivors and maintain confidentiality. “We all have a role in working to stop sexual violence,” Gomez added. “We have supported the creation of the new Survivor Advocacy and Support Center and will assist as possible to ensure the success of that service.” Universities nationwide are going through a period of heightened awareness in regards to sexual assault, which also leads to more reports coming forward, according to Susie BrubakerCole, vice provost of student affairs at OSU. “While we must continue our work to end sexual assault, we must not take increased awareness and reporting as a negative outcome,” Brubaker-Cole said.
In addition to the Sept. 23 report, a former student recently filed a Title IX lawsuit against OSU and former football head coach Mike Riley in regards to an alleged rape that took place in the 1990s. Another more recent incident was reported around July 17, which lead to the arrest of suspect Tyler Warren at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house. “It’s important to be clear that these incidents are unrelated,” Brubaker-Cole said. “Increased awareness also is evident as our community members feel more compelled to speak openly against sexual assault, as opposed to thinking of this as a taboo subject... We must continue to speak out as a community committed to ending sexual assault.” Additional information on the SARC and sexual assault awareness can be found at Oregon State’s student health webpage or by contacting the SARC directly at 541-737-2030. Sean Bassinger, news contributer news@dailybarometer.com
Data from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service
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