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Sexual Assault Reported At UW

Caroline Ballard

University of Wyoming Police said they received a report of a sexual assault in a campus apartment over the weekend. UW Police Chief Michael Samp said the suspect has not been found but was reported as a white male about 20-years-old. 

The alleged victim reported meeting the suspect through a social media. Samp said this is not the first reported sexual assault case at UW that has involved social media. But he added, last fall, the university adopted new policies as part of the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act. It requires all universities to update such policies with increased education and more clearly defined reporting procedures.

Samp said his agency hopes the new policies will help more victims feel safe enough to report possible cases of sexual assault.

“[We are] making sure we try to educate our population, in particular our young men,” said Samp. “Men are the primary perpetrators of this crime and therefore we’re trying to work very hard to make sure that folks know what consent is.”

Samp said the number of reported rape cases at UW is slightly down from this time last year. But he added such data could be delayed since many victims don’t immediately report. 

According to the National Institute of Justice, the first few months of the school year are the highest risk time of year for sexual assault. Last fall, an individual was raped on the University of Wyoming campus on the very first day of classes. 

Maggie Mullen is Wyoming Public Radio's regional reporter with the Mountain West News Bureau. Her work has aired on NPR, Marketplace, Science Friday, and Here and Now. She was awarded a 2019 regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her story on the Black 14.
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