By Arek Sarkissian II
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday April 17, 2003
The student who reported Sunday that she was sexually assaulted at a residence hall had reportedly passed out under the influence of alcohol before the incident occurred, reports stated.
The assault occurred April 6 after a night of drinking with friends at Corleone Apartments, 1330 N. Park Ave., reports stated.
The woman told police she passed out at a friend's apartment, and fell asleep in a top bunk. She woke up around 6 a.m. next to a man she did not know, reports stated.
The incident did not involve sexual intercourse, reports stated.
After jumping off the bed, the student asked the suspect, "What the hell are you doing?" reports stated.
The student then walked home barefoot. She told police she doesn't know how old the man was, but he is a senior at an area high school. She believed he lived with his parents, reports stated.
Cmdr. Kevin Haywood, spokesman for University of Arizona Police Department, said the case was "more toward the side" of acquaintance rape, which, according to officials at the Oasis Center, accounts for at least 90 percent of all rapes documented on college campuses.
Irene Anderson, director of the center, said many women wait to report a sexual assault. In fact, "It's most common that it won't be reported to anyone," she said.
Anderson said many incidents she's seen on campus aren't reported to police because victims are afraid their incident would receive media attention.
Anderson said that although an assault may not involve actual intercourse, a woman should still seek medical attention, with a heightened risk for injury and infection.
However, medical officials are required to report sexual assault cases to the police, but the victims have the right to cooperate with police, even with mandates held by medical officials to call them, but they do not have the authority to press charges.
Haywood said the investigation is still in the preliminary stage, but he expects progress to move fairly quickly.
If anyone feels they may have been the victim of sexual assault or abuse, he or she should call the Oasis Center at 626-2051, Monday through Friday.
For help 24-hours per day, seven days per week, call the Southern Arizona Center for Sexual Assault at 327-7273.