Student reports rape in campus residence

A female University student was raped in a University residence hall on December 8, Commissioner John Kuprevich said last week. Kuprevich refused to specify where the rape occurred and said the police know nothing more about the incident. The police will not investigate the report because the woman reported the rape to the Victim Support and Special Services, rather than directly to University Police. Prior to last fall, a rape reported informally to victim support, the Women's Center or other University resources would neither be reported to the police nor to the public. Police expect the new system to provide a more accurate accounting of the number of rapes on campus. Students now have the choice of making a formal or an informal report of crimes. When a formal report is made, the University Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department are both informed, Ruth Wells, director of victim support said last week. If the crime is sexual in nature, the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Division is also notified. If the victim decides to press charges, the police begin an investigation to search for the perpetrator. Crime victims also have the choice of filing an informal report, which can be done through 23 different offices. The victim can remain anonymous and divulge as little information as he or she wishes. No criminal or internal investigation is conducted. With this type of informal report, no investigation follows and no charges are pressed unless the victim later chooses to do so. The victim can complete a form put together by the Acquaintance Rape Task Force, but is not required to give all the information on the form. The report, which can include the type of crime, date, time, location and other basic information, is passed on to University Police who then release some of it to the media. Wells stressed the victim's right to withhold information and not to press charges. "You [the victim] are in control of your situation," Wells said last Friday. "You decide what to do every step of the way." In accordance with this new policy, the victim's identity and the specific location of the rape will not be released. (CUT LINE) Please see RAPE, page 2 RAPE, from page 1