San Marcos,
04
October
2014
|
11:40 AM
America/Los_Angeles

CSUSM Campus Alert - Sexual Assault at QUAD Residence Hall

The California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) police department has issued the following crime alert, advising of an incident that concerns the safety of the University community and advises students, faculty, staff and community members to take all necessary precautions:

The University Police Department is investigating an alleged sexual assault (rape) of a female resident at the QUAD residence hall, 200 Barham Dr. The incident occurred between the night of Friday, September 12, 2014, and the morning of Sunday, September 14, 2014. The incident was reported to the University Police Department on Friday, October 3, 2014. The male suspect had been invited to a party at the residence hall where he met the victim.

Suspect Description

African-American male, 18 years of age, 5”8”, 170’ with short black hair and brown eyes

Suspect is not a student at Cal State San Marcos

Suspect is believed to live in Orange County, California and is not in custody at this time.

If you have any information that might be helpful in this investigation please contact the University Police at (760) 750-4567 or the University’s SAFE hotline at (760) 750-SAFE. If you wish, you may report anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers (888) 580-8477.

Safety tips:

  1. To protect yourself please be mindful of who is invited to your residence, and where they are allowed to go within the residence. Look out for the safety of your roommates and other members of your community by reporting suspicious behavior. If you are at a location and feel threatened or vulnerable leave the area and call a friend, someone you trust or the police.
  2. When you go to a social gathering, go with a group of friends. Arrive together, check in with each other throughout the evening, and leave together. Knowing where you are and who is around you may help you to find a way out of a bad situation.
  3. Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe in any situation, go with your gut. If you see something suspicious, contact law enforcement immediately (local authorities can be reached by calling 911 in most areas of the U.S.).
  4. Don't leave your drink unattended while talking, dancing, using the restroom, or making a phone call. If you’ve left your drink alone, just get a new one.
  5. Don't accept drinks from people you don't know or trust. If you choose to accept a drink, go with the person to the bar to order it, watch it being poured, and carry it yourself. At parties, don’t drink from the punch bowls or other large, common open containers.
  6. Watch out for your friends, and vice versa. If a friend seems out of it, is way too intoxicated for the amount of alcohol they’ve had, or is acting out of character, get him or her to a safe place immediately.
  7. If you suspect you or a friend has been drugged, contact law enforcement immediately. Be explicit with doctors so they can give you the correct tests (you will need a urine test and possibly others).

CONFIDENTIAL SUPPORT: Victims of any form of sexual harassment or assault are strongly encouraged to seek confidential support at CSUSM’s Student Health and Counseling Center, 120 Craven Road Suite 100, (760) 750-4915; office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 4:45 pm. Off campus, The Center for Community Solutions offers a 24-Hour toll free County-wide crisis line for crisis intervention and information referrals related to sexual assault in San Diego at 1-888-385-4657 (FREE). More information is available at http://www.ccssd.org/. Reporting to a confidential counselor or sexual assault advocate WILL NOT RESULT IN A REPORT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE UNIVERSITY. These counseling professionals are required by law to keep your identity and information confidential.

REPORTING TO THE UNIVERSITY: We also encourage victims and witnesses to report sexual misconduct to the university’s Title IX Coordinator, who can help provide resources, support and remedies, as well as determine whether the university needs to take further action to make victims, witnesses, and the rest of the campus community safe, as well as take steps to prevent a reoccurrence and eliminate sexual misconduct. Please contact Dr. Bridget Blanshan, CSUSM Title IX Coordinator: (760) 750-4056 or http://www.csusm.edu/title9/. Information about Victim Rights and Options can also be found on the university’s Title IX website: http://www.csusm.edu/title9/.