An 18-year-old student told police she was sexually assaulted in her dorm room Saturday by a man she met at an East Lansing party hours earlier.
The student told police she brought the college-aged man to her room after the party and was assaulted between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., MSU police Detective Tony Willis said.
The alleged sexual assault is the first such case reported on campus this year.
Willis declined to disclose which residence hall the student lived in, citing the ongoing investigation. MSU residence halls close to the public at midnight, after which residents must show identification to enter and sign in guests. However, Willis said it was unclear whether the student had signed in the man.
The student was able to give police a detailed description of the man and his vehicle, Willis said, but only knew his first name. Police are searching for the man for questioning. She was not injured, police said.
Willis cautioned students to be careful in similar situations and always tell a friend where they’re going to be.
“You should get to know a person more than the first time before you share information and especially take a person back to your room,” Willis said. “Don’t be alone in an unfamiliar situation.”
An estimated 50 sexual assaults occur on campus each year, although many go unreported, said Diane Windischman, coordinator of the Sexual Assault Crisis and Safety Education Program at MSU’s Counseling Center.
Nine cases of criminal sexual conduct on varying levels were reported on campus last year, according to the Department of Police and Public Safety.
Windischman said less than 20 percent of sexual assaults in date-rape situations are reported to police.
“A lot of times the victims will blame themselves, feeling if they wouldn’t have been alone with the person or wouldn’t have done this or that it wouldn’t have happened,” she said.
Windischman said some victims fear they won’t be believed or would rather deal with the campus judiciary system than police.
“Also, some people just don’t want their family to know or are afraid it will get in the newspaper,” she said.
But Windischman encouraged any victim of a sexual assault to contact someone for medical and emotional help. The counseling center offers a 24-hour sexual assault hotline staffed by volunteers trained to help victims.
“It’s really important a person gets medical care,” she said. “The hospitals must report the case, but you don’t have to talk to police.”
However, victims of sexual assault should not be afraid to talk to police, Windischman said. MSU police officers operate under the Sexual Assault Response Guarantee, which pledges private, sensitive and professional care in carrying out a complete investigation.
Residence Hall mentors are also trained to help victims of sexual assaults and other crimes, said Kate Murphy, an assistant director of Residence Life.
Mentors can also help ease fears for other hall residents if problems arise during weekly community meetings.
“The main focus needs to be on the person who’s been assaulted,” Murphy said.
Residence Life and the MSU Counseling Center also provide prevention programs with other university departments. Intramural Sports and Recreative Services offers self-defense classes that are often brought into residence halls.
“We do try to help people avoid being sexually assaulted. However, the real prevention starts with the people doing the assaulting,” Windischman said.
But she said it’s important for people to seek out friends or other help if they feel uncomfortable around someone. And she said since most assaults happen in the victim’s home, people have to be careful and trust their instincts.
“It’s important to be aware,” Windischman said.
“Where you should feel the safest you should really be the most cautious.”
The 24-hour sexual assault crisis hotline can be reached at 372-6666.
