The California State University, Stanislaus Police Department is investigating an alleged sexual assault of a female student at the residence hall by an acquaintance.
The incident occurred on the night of Jan. 29, and was reported to the University Police Department on Wednesday. The suspect is a student of CSU Stanislaus, lives in Stanislaus County and is not in custody at this time. This is an ongoing investigation and the police are in contact with all individuals involved. The suspect's access to the campus has been restricted pending further notice.
Those with information that might be helpful in this investigation are asked to contact the University Police at 667-3114. Information can also be reported anonymously by calling Stanislaus Crime Stoppers at 1-866-60-CRIME(27463).
Preventing sexual assaults on university campuses and providing victim resources has been a recent focus of the CSU system.
CSU Stanislaus has had a confidential sexual assault victim advocate on campus since November. The advocate is responsible for representing the interests of the student, as well as ensuring victims have resources made available to them. The advocate also supplements prevention training and conducts more in-depth seminars and workshops for students.
The university has a bystander intervention program, Warrior Watch. Students involved in the Warrior Watch Program use knowledge, awareness, and skills to identify and prevent high risk behaviors. These students can be seen on and off campus sporting a Warrior Watch program t-shirt and a literal warrior watch on their wrists.
The university offers the following assault prevention tips for resident students:
1. To protect yourself please be mindful of who you allow into to your residence, and where they are allowed to go within the residence. Look out for the safety of your roommates and other members of your community by reporting suspicious behavior.
2. Remember the situation is not your fault; it is the person who is making you uncomfortable that is to blame.
3. Be true to yourself. Do not feel obligated to do anything you don't want to do. "I don't want to do this" is always a good enough reason.
4. If you don't want to hurt the person's feelings it is better to make up a reason to leave than to stay and be uncomfortable, scared or worse. Some excuses you could use are: needing to take care of a friend or family member, not feeling well, having somewhere else that you need to be, etc.
5. When you go to a social gathering, go with a group of friends. Arrive together, check in with each other throughout the evening, and leave together. Knowing where you are and who is around you may help you to find a way out of a bad situation.
6. Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe in any situation, go with your gut. If you see a situation in which a person is being assaulted, contact law enforcement immediately by dialing 911.