LU reports three assaults
Published 2:10 pm Tuesday, October 18, 2016
An alleged sexual assault reported by Longwood University this weekend is the third in the past month.
According to a university spokesperson, the most recent assault allegedly took place in an off-campus residence Friday night. It was a non-stranger sexual assault.
Matt McWilliams, director of communications and media relations at Longwood, told students about the alleged assault in an email on Sunday morning. The incident was not reported until Sunday, McWilliams said.
The incident is under investigation, according to McWilliams.
The previous incidents took place early morning on Saturday, Oct. 8, in an on-campus residence hall and Saturday Sept. 10, in an on-campus residence hall. Neither incident resulted in charges being filed, through the Sept 10 incident is listed as a rape on the Longwood University Police Department’s crime log.
McWilliams said Longwood is not able to release details about any of the incidents.
He said there were eight total reports of sexual assaults in 2015 and nine total reports in 2014. This year there have been seven reports of sexual assault so far.
“That isn’t a significant change in numbers,” he said. There are more cases reported when classes are in session, McWilliams said.
He said the university is continuing to educate its students about sexual assault and do its part to prevent the statistics from rising.
McWilliams’ emails remind students to “remember that consent for sexual activity is active, not passive, and that silence cannot be interpreted as consent.”
The emails say the Title IX office and campus police were investigating the alleged assaults.
The Longwood University Police Department daily crime log has not been updated with information about either of the October assaults.