The Wake Forest community received a Community Safety Advisory informing of reports of sexual assault on campus, allegedly perpetrated by a male student, on Nov. 18. The report details that three different individuals were assaulted in their residence halls between Sept. 27 and Nov. 15.
“This report is currently under investigation, and University Police is seeking additional information.” The Wake Alert wrote.
“University Police received an anonymous report in the afternoon of Monday, Nov.17 and began a preliminary investigation,” said Cheryl Walker, the Executive Director of Strategic Communications for Wake Forest University, in an email to the Old Gold & Black.
Nationally, these reports fall into the “Red Zone,” — the time between the beginning of the fall semester and Thanksgiving break, where sexual assault on campus is statistically at its highest.
According to the 2023 Campus Climate Survey, 29.3% of undergraduate women and 10.4% of undergraduate men included in the sample experienced at least one form of nonconsensual or unwanted sexual contact since arriving at Wake Forest.
Nearly half of the sample (49%) has experienced at least one form of sexual harassment by a student or individual associated with Wake Forest. This can be compared to the AAU Campus Climate survey from the same year, where 42% of the sample experienced one type of “sexually harassing behavior since beginning their studies.”
The survey was sent in spring 2022, following a string of controversial campus protests, to all Wake Forest University students and had a response rate of around 38%.
If you have any information about the alleged assault, contact University Police at (336) 758-5911 (emergency) or (336)758-5591 (non-emergency), submit a tip through the Wake Safe App, file a report online or email [email protected].
“The University Police’s Victim Support Program was established to provide these services to anyone who may become a victim of crime while on the campus,” Walker said.
Reports of alleged assaults may also be submitted to the University’s Title IX Office.
Further resources for victims of interpersonal violence can be found 24/7 at the Safe Office, a confidential resource for counseling, advocacy and consultation services.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story
