Safety Alert - Sept. 25, 2018

Sept. 25, 2018

Dear UC Community,

Please be aware that it was reported on Sept. 24, 2018, that a sexual assault occurred on Sept. 21, 2018, in University Square Apartments. The victim and the suspect are known to one another.

Sexual assault includes sexual conduct or contact, as well as other activity of a sexual nature, without the consent of the other person or when knowing the other person is unable to consent.  Sexual assault can range from voyeurism and public indecency to sexual imposition and rape.  Consent is informed, freely given, mutual and can be withdrawn at any time. For more information on consent, please go to https://uc.edu/titleix/policies-definitions.html.

If you or someone you know is a victim of a gender-based or sexual assault crime and do not want to file a police report, you can make a report with Title IX at https://uc.edu/titleix.html. For campus and community gender-based and sexual assault support services, visit https://uc.edu/ucwc/advocacy.html.

Important Safety Tips:

Responsibility for sexual assault lies with the perpetrators, not the survivor.  Most offenders assault someone they know.  No one deserves, asks for, or provokes sexual assault.  The following suggestions may help reduce the possibility of experiencing such a crime, or may improve opportunities to receive prompt assistance.

• If you see something, say something.  It’s on all of us to keep campus safe. Visit https://orgsync.com/145405/chapter for more information on Bystander Intervention training. 
• If you observe suspicious activity, or are a victim of a crime, call 911. 
• Trust your instincts.  If you feel unsafe, get to a safe place and call for help.
• NightRide is a free evening shuttle, call 513-556-RIDE.
• Download the Bearcat Guardian app for additional resources.  The app is available for free on the App Store or Google Play.  Search “Rave Guardian.”

In a non-emergency situation you can reach UCPD at 513-556-1111 or Cincinnati Police at 513-765-1212.  For more information about UC’s safety resources, including the Bearcat Guardian app, visit www.uc.edu/publicsafety.

Sincerely,
James L. Whalen
Director of Public Safety