An alleged sexual assault occurred on the St. John’s University campus between Saturday, Sept. 1 and Sunday, Sept. 2.
The reported incident occurred between a St. Ben’s and St. John’s student in an on-campus student residence.
“There was an alleged assault and we are currently following through,” said SJU Dean of Students Mike Connolly, “It is very important that students put safety at the forefront when gathering after hours for parties.”
St. John’s Life Safety is still investigating an alleged sexual assault last weekend.
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office also received a complaint regarding this incident and is looking into the matter. The event is believed to be an isolated incident, and Dean Connolly wants to ensure students that while there is no reason to be concerned, it is always important to keep safety in mind.
In response to the recent incident, CSB/SJU is executing standard protocol through the Joint Complaint Procedure for Sexual Assault Violations Involving Students. In addition, both campuses are stressing safety information and precautions to reduce the risk of future offensives.
“It’s not just about raising the issue that sexual assault is bad, but it’s understanding that we all contribute to the environment we live in,” Assistant Director of Health Promotion Lori Klapperich said. “We need to think about how we can create an environment that doesn’t condone, tolerate, enable, accept or turn our backs on this issue.”
According to the results of the CSB/SJU General Health Survey, 16-17 percent of women and 9-10 percent of men at CSB/SJU have experienced unwanted sexual touching in the last year.
“80-90 percent of sexual assault occurs between people who know each other,” Klapperich said. “We can all support a victim by supporting our environment, essentially it’s being for them, listening and supporting them. It is one of the most intimate crimes that can happen and some victims never recover.”
Klapperich also encourages students to begin to talk about sex as a serious topic to determine what their values are and how they can spread that message.
Life Safety Services in addition to Stearns County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, and according to University administration, measures will be taken pending the results of the case.
“As part of the investigation, information is confidential,” Connolly said. “The situation is being carefully examined.”
Alleged assault at CSB/SJU
By Molly Carey & Kelly Butorac
September 18th, 2012
