Three weeks after a UA student alleged she was raped at a fraternity house, students are left wondering whether or not police are handling the investigation in a timely manner.
Unanswered questions and a lack of suspects have not helped diminish concerns.
The University of Arizona Police Department is insisting the investigation is still underway and student safety is their top concern, said Sgt. Eugene Mejia, UAPD spokesman.
It is UAPD policy not to name a suspect until they are officially charged with a crime, Mejia said.
Police responded in the early hours of April 9 to the Sigma Pi fraternity house, 1525 E. Drachman Road, because a woman was allegedly raped, which is form of sexual assault, Mejia said.
Dana Drown, an alumna who frequents the UA Main Library, said rape should be a campuswide concern and the greek system cannot be blamed.
"I feel like the greek community gets a bad name," she said.
But Sigma Pi President Joe DiVita said the suspect(s) are not members of the fraternity, even though the reported incident happened at the house.
Mejia could not confirm how many suspects were under investigation or their identities and said it could last months.
Tina Tarin, OASIS Program violence prevention specialist, said it is not unusual for police investigations to take a long time before a case is brought to court.
"That process itself can take weeks and weeks," Tarin said.
The need for expediency in criminal cases needs to be balanced between the needs of the community and due process for the accused, Tarin said.
"There are two different perspectives: the need for people to be held accountable and the rights of the accused," Tarin said.
According to state law, the sentence for someone found guilty of sexual assault on their first offense can be between 5 1/4 years and 14 years of jail time. Those with a criminal history of sexual assault face harsher penalties, including life in prison.
For some, the thought of reliving the experience at a public trial can be a frightening experience. An alternative to conventional justice exists in Tucson with the Responsibility and Equity for Sexual Transgressions Offering a Restorative Experience program.
The Restore program experimentally started in March 2004 and allows a victim of a sexual assault to confront her accuser in a mediated conference, said Mary P. Koss, a professor in public health and principal investigator for the Restore Project.
Koss said the program offers a chance to hold the accused person accountable while allowing the victim a chance to shape the outcome of the incident through mediation to avoid court.
The Restore Web site states at a mediated conference, the victim will describe the impact the act had on them, while the offender has to acknowledge the harm caused by their actions and has a chance to respond.
A redress agreement is then written where the offender agrees to make restitution payments for medical expenses and counseling. The offender must also offer a public or written apology, according to the Web site.
The offender completes the program after finishing a year of standard probation conditions. The conclusion of the program allows the offender to avoid being registered as a sex offender and the offense will not appear on a criminal record, according to the Web site.
Not everyone is eligible for the program, however, because it only accepts cases with enough evidence to go to trial. The Web site states the program is also limited to first-time offenders of date rape and those who committed a non-perpetration offense.
Koss, a sexual researcher for 25 years, said the program is unique and is similar to an Australian study using juvenile sex offenders, which showed significant progress over conventional methods.
With juveniles, the study showed the program reduces retrials in cases involving sexual offenders and better allows them to reintegrate into the community. There has not yet been a program that studied adult sex offenders.
Koss said the study also suggests both victims and offenders are generally more satisfied with the resolution than conventional criminal proceedings.
"If they leave the program, they are compelled to enter a legal justice program," Koss said.
While justice is important, Tarin emphasized the importance of student safety.
"Alcohol is a big factor," Tarin said. "Alcohol is the No. 1 date-rape drug."
Shawnee Snyder, a pre-business freshman, said she does not drink excessively at fraternity parties and said girls who do are more prone to unsafe situations.
Snyder said UAPD should be concluding the investigation on the rape allegations that happened at Sigma Pi fraternity.
"If they want to make a difference, they should focus less on underage drinkers and more on solving rape cases," she said.
Tarin also said the "bystander effect" plays a large role in sexual assaults at public gatherings, like large parties or following sporting events.
"Any time you have a large group of people there is a risk of threatening behavior," Tarin said.
She said social pressures to "fit in" might inhibit someone from speaking up when a member of their party is acting inappropriately.
"They say to themselves, I'm not going to say anything," Tarin said. "So we would have a large group of men who do not agree with what is going on but unwilling to speak up."
Aleida Gehrels, a music freshman, said she is cautious when she goes out.
"I generally feel safe (on campus) but it is really important to be safe at parties," Gehrels said.
Krisna Ruette, an anthropology graduate student, said she is on campus late at night and does not feel comfortable knowing that a rape suspect could be walking around freely.
"It concerns me because of the frequency (rape) happens here," Ruette said. "I wouldn't say I'm scared but I would think twice about walking around by myself."