CRIME ADVISORY

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY POLICE

September 4, 2019

REPORTED OFFENSE:

On September 3rd, at approximately 11:30 PM, a male student is alleged to have sexually assaulted a female student after persuading her to come to his room in Wilkins Hall.  Prior to the alleged assault, the students had only communicated via social media, but the suspect remained persistent in his communications until the victim finally agreed to meet with him in person.  This case is an active investigation by the ISU Police Department and no further information can be released at this time.

RESOURCES:

Sexual assault is a significant concern at college campuses across the country. Nationwide, it is estimated that 20 percent of women and 6 percent of men experience sexual assault or attempted sexual assault during their time in college. In a study published by the Department of Justice, 82 percent of the victims were raped by someone they knew, and 18 percent were raped by a stranger.

If you have experienced an incident of sexual assault/misconduct, dating/domestic violence, or stalking, you are encouraged to get help regardless of when the incident occurred.  Students are encouraged to contact Student Affairs Title IX to request any services, protective measures, or interim measures needed.

Confidential Advisors are available through Student Counseling Services.  Confidential Advisors provide emergency and ongoing support to survivors of sexual violence. Confidential Advisors are staff specially trained to respond to students, explain their rights and options, and liaise with necessary campus authorities as requested by the student.

CRIME PREVENTION TIPS:

– While it is always the victim’s decision to report crime to the police, reporting is one of the most effective tools we have to prevent crime in the future. For more information about reporting rape, please visit http://titleix.illinoisstate.edu/ .

-Be respectful of yourself and others. Make sure that any sexual act is OK with your partner, and remember that consent is an active process, not the absence of “no.” Don’t assume you know what another person wants.

-Don’t feel obligated to do anything you don’t want to do. “I don’t want to” is always a good enough reason.

-Don’t be afraid to tell those who you don’t know, or don’t want to communicate with to STOP contacting you.  If the behavior continues save messages, take screenshots, and call the police.

– If you notice a situation that seems unsafe for another person, intervene if it’s safe to do so or call for assistance.

-Although you can never completely protect yourself from becoming a victim of any crime, you can reduce your risk of being targeted by walking in groups, avoiding isolated or dark areas, and trusting your instincts. If a situation doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

-The only person responsible for sexual misconduct is the perpetrator. University policy prohibits sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, which means sexual activity without the knowing consent of each person. Someone incapacitated due to the use or influence of alcohol or drugs cannot consent to sexual activity.

It’s on all of us to stop sexual assault. If it is safe to do so, we have the responsibility to intervene in situations that seem unsafe for others. If you cannot intervene, call for help. The University encourages students to take appropriate action to protect others’ safety by reducing students’ fear of legal or disciplinary consequences to the victim or themselves.

This Crime Advisory is issued in compliance with the Timely Notice provisions of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, a federal statute governing the reporting and disclosure of crimes on college campuses.

For a complete listing of Crime Advisories, including full suspect descriptions if available, and the Daily Crime Log of Illinois State University Police go to the Illinois State University Police website http://Police.IllinoisState.edu.