Second rape reported at Cal Poly in 1 week: 'A vile, criminal act'

Tribune - 10/11/2021

Oct. 11—Trigger warning: This story contains content regarding sexual assault and violence.

A rape was reported at Cal Poly on Sunday, the second on the university's San Luis Obispo campus in one week.

The Cal Poly Police Department received reports of the second incident Sunday in an "unknown location within Poly Canyon Village Apartments," according to a note sent to students as required by the Jeanne Clery Act.

The student apartments are located on the northeastern side of the university's campus and are occupied mostly by continuing students.

"Sexual assault of any kind is a vile, criminal act," Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong wrote in a note to the campus community late Sunday evening. "We will do everything in our power as a university to find and hold responsible anyone who perpetrates such violence."

Armstrong noted that university olice are investigating the incident and "enhancing our campus security" by expanding security personnel and patrols on campus, increasing number of security cameras on campus and adding more security escorts available for students on campus.

"A third part of keeping the community safe is encouraging everyone to adopt an attitude of heightened vigilance and watching out for each other," Armstrong's note continued. "Sexual assault is a crime and the moral and legal responsibility for it lie entirely with the perpetrator.

"It is true that American society has a duty to work harder to ensure that all people appreciate the wrongfulness and harm of sexual assault. It is also an unfortunate reality that potential targets of sexual-assault are often female members of the community."

The perpetrator of the reported rape on Sunday was described as a white male with blond curly hair, standing 5 feet, 10 inches tall with a slender build.

The rape reported on Sunday is not believed to be connected to the rape that allegedly occurred on Cal Poly's campus on Oct. 4.

"While the details that can be shared are limited, the crime does not appear to be related to the incident reported earlier this week," Armstrong wrote in his message to the campus community Sunday evening.

The Oct. 4 rape occurred in the Design Village area north of Poly Canyon road in a popular hiking area known as the Architecture Graveyard, according to a note sent to students on Oct. 5.

The suspect in that rape has yet to be apprehended and an investigation is ongoing, according to Cal Poly spokesman Matt Lazier.

The university is encouraging anyone who might have information about this crime to call the Cal Poly Police Department at 805-756-2281. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 805-549-STOP to report the information anonymously.

How to get help

There are on-campus resources available to students.

Safer provides confidential resources for the campus community for addressing sexual assault, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual exploitation and harassment. Call 805-756-2282 or email safer@calpoly.edu.

Cal Poly Counseling Services provides clinical, educational, and consultative services for students. Call 805-756-2511.

Additionally, if you are a rape victim, support services are available 24 hours every day from Lumina Alliance, formerly RISE & Stand Strong, a local organization dedicated to ending sexual and intimate partner violence. Their crisis line is 805-545-8888.

More resources:

— Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) https://rainn.org/

— National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) http://www.nsvrc.org/

— Victim and Witness Assistance Services https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/District-Attorney/Victim-Witness-Assistance-Center.aspx

— Cal Poly Title IX Coordinator Maren Hufton: 805-756-6770 or crco@calpoly.edu

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