FORT WORTH -- A string of e-mail alerts describing reported sexual assaults at or near Texas Christian University triggered safety concerns this fall semester.
On Aug. 18, campus police received a report that a female student was sexually assaulted in a residence hall by someone she knew.Campus police received another report Aug. 22 of an attempted sexual assault, also by an acquaintance, that apparently occurred in a residence hall.On Aug. 26, Fort Worth police notified TCU police of a sexual assault several blocks south of the campus. The reported victim appeared to know the attacker in that case, too."I am a concerned parent," the mother of a TCU student wrote to the Star-Telegram. She asked not to be identified. "My concerns are that the school is out of control. There is too much on campus drinking and partying."Fort Worth police are investigating the cases. No arrests had been made as of Friday.Nationwide, the fall semester typically kicks off with students moving into dorms, registering for classes, making friends and attending parties. It's a period of new beginnings, but campus and victim advocates stress that it's also a time when young people are vulnerable.The period from the start of the semester through Thanksgiving break is sometimes called the "red zone," explained Melissa Lucchesi, outreach education coordinator for Security On Campus Inc.That time often has a higher incidence of crimes, she said."It's the first time students are away from home," said Lucchesi, adding that students are living in a new setting and socializing. Sometimes, they experiment with alcohol or drugs.Not uncommonTCU spokeswoman Lisa Albert said Fort Worth police have taken the lead in the cases, as they do for all sexual-assault cases. The college has referred questions about the cases to Fort Worth police. The accuser in the Aug. 18 incident was unwilling to work with police and didn't wish to pursue charges, police have said.No additional cases at TCU were reported as of last week.The two on-campus incidents prompted an Aug. 23 letter to TCU students from Kathy Cavins-Tull, vice chancellor for student affairs.Lucchesi said it is not uncommon to see a cluster of rapes at the start of classes.A recent sexual-violence summary issued by the U.S. Education Department's Office of Civil Rights states that nearly 20 percent of women at college will be victims of attempted or actual sexual assault, as will about 6 percent of undergraduate men.TCU educates students about the potential for acquaintance rape as the semester begins. Every year, incoming students can attend an Assault Prevention Theater, with skits that dramatize possible dangerous situations. Students are told how to handle similar scenarios.Counseling is also offered for people who feel they have been assaulted, Albert said.Perhaps because the issues are being discussed openly, students feel more comfortable reporting incidents, officials said."I am pleased that students who feel as though they have been violated are coming forward, and at the same time I am frustrated and concerned that before we have even had two days of classes, we have had two incidents on our campus," Albert said.Required notificationsThe university issued the recent alerts to make students aware and comply with federal law. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act requires higher education institutions that participate in federal student financial aid to report campus crimes.The law applies to most public and private universities, according to the Education Department. Noncompliance can result in large penalties. Campuses can also be suspended from the financial aid program.The government has stressed the need for compliance and recently issued $82,500 in fines to Washington State University for violations in 2007, according to The Seattle Times.Lucchesi said TCU's string of e-mail alerts, while alarming, helped inform students about a crime that goes largely unreported. It is also a sign that the federal rules are working."Students feel more comfortable about reporting sexual assault on the campus, which is a great, great thing," she said.Lucchesi said focusing on date rape is just as important as singling out rapes involving strangers, because date rape is so prevalent -- about 1 in 4 reported assaults. Perpetrators tend to be repeat offenders with multiple victims. They typically seek out people who appear vulnerable -- the young or the intoxicated."This is a crime of opportunity and a crime of power and control," Lucchesi said.Diane Smith, 817-390-7675Students' rights
The Clery Act is named after Jeanne Clery, a freshman at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania who was beaten, raped and murdered by another student in her dorm room in 1986. The law requires colleges to issue timely warnings of crimes that threaten the safety of students or employees. Colleges must also collect, report and disseminate crime data to everyone on campus.
Additionally, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual violence. Schools must investigate sexual-violence crimes and prevent their recurrence.
TCU recently issued these reminders to students: An intoxicated person cannot give consent, sex without consent is sexual assault, and consent can be withdrawn at any time. A violation can result in expulsion or suspension.
A person found guilty of sexual assault can face up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Sources: U.S. Education Department, Security on Campus Inc., TCU
Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
