Community Safety Advisory: Report of fondling

This morning, Wake Forest University Police received a report of an alleged assault that occurred in a residence hall on the evening of May 7. This was not a random incident. It involved two Wake Forest students who are acquainted. The victim was able to get the suspect to leave the room almost immediately, which subsequently ended the incident.

Sexual assault is never the fault of the victim. While nothing is a failsafe, here are three important things to keep in mind for self-protection.

• Alcohol and drugs are often used to create vulnerability to sexual assaults. Studies of sexual assault incidents show a high correlation between sexual assault and drug/alcohol use.

• Consent cannot be given if someone is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, is passed out, unconscious, asleep or coming in or out of consciousness.

• The Wake Safe app is a free personal mobile application for Wake Forest University students, staff, faculty, visitors, and surrounding community members to engage in a two-way conversation with Wake Forest University police. With the app, you can use your cell phone as a personal security device that allows direct access to police, 911 emergency services, emergency location sharing, social escape, and a peer-to-peer Friend Walk tool.

• If you feel uneasy or unsafe, go to a safe location and call a friend or the police at 911. University Police offers a safe escort service on campus that is available 24 hours a day at 336-758-5911.

If you have experienced a sexual offense, we encourage you to seek support. There are a variety of resources available at Wake Forest. You can speak to a confidential resource first. Information about the difference between confidential and non-confidential resources can be found on the Safe website. You can also contact the Safe Office at 336.758.5285 or safe@wfu.edu with non-urgent questions or concerns.

Reminder: Here’s how WFU will communicate with you in the event of an emergency.

Community Safety Advisories fulfill the compliance requirement under the Clery Act for timely warnings. Timely warnings are issued by Wake Forest University when certain (Clery Act) crimes occurring on campus property, properties controlled by campus-affiliated organizations, or public property immediately adjacent to campus are determined to be a serious or continuing threat to the campus community. Timely warnings are intended to prevent similar crimes and to provide information that will assist community members in protecting themselves.