Three female undergraduates were allegedly sexually abused on or near the Foggy Bottom Campus during the first two weeks of the academic year.
Each incident involved alcohol and suspects who were acquaintances of the alleged victims, according to a University statement.
One case took place Wednesday at McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon, and another reportedly occurred Sunday night in Georgetown. The third alleged victim anonymously reported two separate instances of sexual abuse by different suspects at Townhouse Row Aug. 29 and Aug. 31.
The Townhouse Row incidents occurred in unit G, which houses the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, according to the University Police Department's crime log. The specific unit was later removed from the listing due to “privacy concerns,” University Police Chief Kevin Hay said.
Hay said evidence suggests the suspects in the Townhouse Row cases were students. They were referred to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary action, but UPD did not make any arrests and the victim did not press criminal charges.
“The alleged victim made the complaint as an anonymous person and provided us with limited information as to what occurred,” Hay said.
The department does not have evidence to determine if suspects in the off-campus incidents were students, he said.
Following the incidents, Smith said, the University offered the alleged victims health services and counseling.
“The George Washington University takes any allegations of sexual abuse very seriously, and each incident is being investigated,” the University statement read.
Hay said the University did not release an alert because the incidents were reported days later and there was no ongoing threat to the community.
The Metropolitan Police Department is leading the investigations of the Georgetown and McFadden’s incidents, while UPD is running the investigations for the incidents at Townhouse Row.
"In an effort to protect the privacy of the alleged victims, and because this is a pending investigation, we do not have further information to add," Hay said.
The number of reported sexual offenses on the Foggy Bottom Campus steadily rose from five cases in 2007 to 12 incidents in 2010, according to the most recently available UPD statistics.
Female students sexually assaulted on Townhouse Row and in McFadden’s…it’s as though the Greek system and McFadden’s are prime examples of institutions that perpetuate systematic sexual assault and rape culture. But who would ever think that?
It’s a good thing we spent all that money on that new logo rather than the woefully underfunded Sexual Assault Crisis Consultation team.
Fraternities aren’t responsible for rape, people are. They mostly have the opposite effect because in a group there are more people looking out for others. Hate speech shouldn’t be acceptable. Worst of all it takes the focus away from who is really responsibile.
Also, an issue this serious needs to be investigated by a capable person. Tara Pereira, who ran SJS in a discriminatory manner against men, can’t handle it in a proper manner. How she hasn’t been fired yet is beyond all logical understanding.
There is no evidence to back up your claims about the group mentality thing. Please go away.
You are the one who argued that the fraternity group mentality supports rape. This is hate speech. I simply said that the more people present the more likely someone will see something. Rapists exist, but they aren’t that common. Most fraternity members are as against rape as any other normal person.
By not recognizing the obvious reality, you are making it easier for rapists to go unprosecuted, just like by Pereira does by being discriminatory towards all men.
Let me clarify: there is no evidence that the group mentality of frats prevents sexual assault. In fact, all evidence shows that it helps perpetrators cover-up what they’ve done.
Rape is very common. Very, very common. 25% of women in college will be sexually assaulted at least once while they’re there, according to the statistics.
Please stop apologizing for rape and sexual assault. Please go away.
I am speaking out against rape. I don’t know where you got that percentage, but it’s absurd.
To say that a young joining a fraternity turns him into a rapist, is crazy.
I think it’s interesting to point out that I’ve known more men than women who have been sexually assaulted.
If we create this atmosphere where if any questions stereotypes associated with rape are said to be somehow in support of it, we’re going to let the real culprits get away with it. To sexual assault someone is incredibly evil. Measures that identify these individuals is what is needed. If fraternities are blamed, there isn’t any headway, because they aren’t the problem. Guys don’t become part of a club and then suddenly think rape is ok. You are being SEXIST.
It’s not horrible to report the fact that sexual assaults happen on campus, but parts of this article need to be removed. As a survivor, I can say that it’s difficult enough to get through this on one’s own–but if the survivors of these specific events see this article, how do you think they’re going to make them feel? Now everybody knows what’s happened, even if they don’t know who exactly it happened to. Is this supposed to help them or show support? Because it definitely doesn’t. It doesn’t matter if the hatchet is reporting ‘just the facts’ because this went too far and is entirely unnecessary and insensative to these people. These survivors deserve support, not unwanted attention.
The University Police and the Hatchet should have done more to protect their privacy. Not only does it do damage to those who have already sufferred, but it creates an environment where others won’t be as likely to come forward. UPD and the Hatchet should have had the students’ safety in mind.
I feel like the hatchet is more to blame than UPD for crossing the line. They’re the ones who wrote and edited and allowed the article to be published.
@C
Feminism killed chivalry