Annual report documents three rapes on USD’s campus in 2015
Three confirmed rapes were reported on the campus of USD in 2015, with one additional rape being reported off-campus, according to data released in the 2015-2016 USD Annual Fire Safety & Security Report on Wednesday.
All three on-campus rapes happened in residence halls. In total, there been seven forcible sex offenses on the campus of USD from 2013 to 2015. Both fondling and rape are included in the forcible sex offense category.
Last October, there were two reported sexual assaults of USD students that happened over Dakota Days. One assault happened on-campus and another happened off-campus.
The annual report meets requirements mandated by the federal government under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1990. The report contains statistics on reported crimes which have happened on campuses. Every year the report must be publicly released by Oct. 1.
Statistics in this year’s report of crimes that happened on USD’s campus in 2015 include one case of fondling, one case of arson, one case of stalking, one case of domestic violence and two cases of dating violence. There were also 304 disciplinary referrals for “liquor law violations” and 25 arrests for alcohol violations. In 2014 there were 361 disciplinary referrals and 56 arrests for alcohol violations.
There were also 19 arrests and two disciplinary referrals for drug law violations. In 2014 there were 19 arrests and five referrals.
Reports for other Board of Regents universities in the state — including South Dakota State University, Black Hills State University, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and Northern State University — have yet to be released.
In addition to releasing crime statistics, the Clery Act also requires universities to provide a timely notification or warning to students in the event of a campus-wide emergency.
The South Dakota Board of Regents uses the Everbridge alert system, which every student is automatically entered into. In the event of an emergency or a “situation that constitutes a threat to the campus community,” emails and text message alerts are sent to students.
On Wednesday morning students across campus received alerts via text messages, phone calls and emails testing the system.
You can read the full 24-page 2015-2016 USD Annual Fire Safety & Security Report below.
