In the early hours of Nov. 20, a female student reported a sexual assault to University Police immediately after the incident occurred at around 6 a.m. The victim, who knew her alleged assailant, declined to press charges at the time of the report.
The victim and the suspect had been at the same party earlier that evening, and they later returned to the victim's dorm room. University Police Sgt. Melissa Fielding was unable to comment on the details of the assault, including whether the victim had known the suspect before the night of the incident, whether there were alcohol or drugs involved and the students' years and ages.
University Police included details of the reported assault in a press release. The information was released a day after University President John T. Casteen, III issued a public statement responding to criticism of the University's handling of reported sexual assault cases.
Patricia Lampkin, vice president for student affairs, said the recent Georgetown University ruling -- in which the Department of Education said it was unlawful to require victims to sign confidentiality agreements prior to pursuing adjudication -- prompted University officials to be more transparent about instances of reported sexual assault.
"It's just part of trying to help to make students aware and the community aware," Lampkin said. "It's always been available, but we're trying to be more forthcoming about the information and taking stronger steps to make sure people see things. We want people to know what circumstances surround sexual assault so they look out for themselves and their friends."
Lampkin said that regardless of the victim's choice to press criminal charges, the University does offer non-criminal options such as mediation, structured meetings and formal adjudication by the Sexual Assault Board.
Fielding said the Georgetown ruling will not affect how the University Police handles incidents of sexual assault.
"We will continue to investigate them and make the public aware of them," she said. Any "administrative changes to the handling of sexual assaults are outside of criminal prosecution."
Fielding emphasized that University Police officers are fully investigating the Nov. 20 incident.
"Police officers immediately responded in the area, and officers and investigators have done the normal working and speaking with anyone at the scene at the dorm," Fielding said.
According to Fielding, victims often refuse to press charges at the time of the incident.
"It's not uncommon for victims to be unfamiliar with police procedures at the time of the incident," she said. "We don't really ask why they choose not to, but if you know anything about the criminal justice system and the demands and pressure that are placed on a victim immediately after an assault, I can understand their initial reluctance."
Fielding also said that once victims find out about the process, they may still choose not to press charges.
"Prosecuting isn't as simple as the victim may think it is," she said. "It's a collaboration between the Commonwealth and the victim, and [after the collaboration] the Commonwealth decides whether there's sufficient evidence."
The Nov. 20 incident was the second sexual assault reported to University Police this year. According to Fielding, the first occurred Sept. 5 under similar circumstances. The victim in that case did not press charges and has not indicated that she will.
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