Chicago police investigating reported sexual assault at University of Chicago fraternity house

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A 21-year-old woman in Chicago reported that she was sexually assaulted by a man at a fraternity house near the University of Chicago early Sunday, according to the Chicago Police Department.

The woman, who is not a University of Chicago student, reported the alleged assault around 1:50 a.m. during a party at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house, the school said.

The incident comes as colleges and universities face heightened scrutiny over their handling of sexual assault cases, amid an investigation into an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house at Cornell University in 2024.

The University of Chicago’s chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi said “to the best of our knowledge, no one affiliated with AEPi was involved or complicit with this incident.”

“We condemn this violence unequivocally. Our concern is first and foremost for the person harmed, whose privacy and dignity we ask everyone to respect.”

The fraternity also said its members are continuing to work with authorities and provide any additional information as the investigation continues.

The victim went to the University of Chicago Hospital for treatment, Chicago police said.

The university later alerted the community about the incident to help with the investigation, saying a person intervened and the suspect, who has not yet been identified, fled the scene.

Witnesses described the suspect as a “5’7” South Asian male with dark complexion, short hair on the sides and longer curly hair on top, wearing a black t-shirt, black jogging pants and white shoes,” according to the university’s alert.

An initial review of security camera footage showed an individual fitting that description running from the house, the university said in its alert.

The Chicago Police Department is leading the investigation, with support from the University of Chicago Police Department.

The University of Chicago called the reported assault “deeply concerning for the University community.”

“While fraternities are not Recognized Student Organizations at UChicago and thus have no formal affiliation with the University, all University students are subject to University policies and disciplinary procedures,” the university said in a statement.

“The University remains committed to addressing sexual misconduct cases that occur, to imposing disciplinary consequences as warranted, and to continually improving efforts to prevent sexual misconduct.”

The Alpha Epsilon Pi national fraternity said in a statement it “unconditionally opposes, and its conditions of membership absolutely prohibit, any conduct considered as ‘sexual harassment’ or ‘sexual assault,’ including “repeated propositioning, coercive pressure, unwanted touching and physical violence.”

Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

据芝加哥警察局称，周日凌晨，一名21岁的芝加哥女子报案称，她在芝加哥大学附近的一个兄弟会宿舍遭到一名男子性侵犯。

学校方面表示，这名女子并非芝加哥大学的学生，她在凌晨 1 点 50 分左右向 Alpha Epsilon Pi 兄弟会宿舍参加聚会时报案称遭到袭击。

此事发生之际，各高校在处理性侵案件方面正面临更严格的审查，此前康奈尔大学 2024 年兄弟会宿舍发生的一起涉嫌轮奸案正在接受调查。

芝加哥大学 Alpha Epsilon Pi 分会表示：“据我们所知，AEPi 的任何成员都没有参与或与此事件有任何关联。”

“我们毫不含糊地谴责这种暴力行为。我们首先关注的是受害者，我们请求所有人尊重他们的隐私和尊严。”

该兄弟会还表示，其成员将继续与当局合作，并在调查继续进行的过程中提供任何其他信息。

芝加哥警方称，受害者已前往芝加哥大学医院接受治疗。

事后，大学方面向社区通报了这起事件，以协助调查。大学方面表示，有人介入此事，嫌疑人（身份尚未确定）逃离了现场。

据该大学的警报称，目击者将嫌疑人描述为一名身高 5 英尺 7 英寸的南亚裔男子，肤色较深，两侧头发较短，头顶头发较长且卷曲，身穿黑色 T 恤、黑色运动裤和白色鞋子。

该大学在警报中表示，对监控录像的初步审查显示，一名符合描述的人从房子里跑了出来。

芝加哥警察局正在主导调查，芝加哥大学警察局也提供了支持。

芝加哥大学称这起报道中的袭击事件“令大学社区深感担忧”。

“虽然兄弟会并非芝加哥大学认可的学生组织，因此与大学没有正式隶属关系，但所有大学学生都必须遵守大学的政策和纪律程序，”该大学在一份声明中表示。

“大学将继续致力于处理发生的性不端行为案件，在必要时施加纪律处分，并不断改进预防性不端行为的措施。”

Alpha Epsilon Pi 全国兄弟会在一份声明中表示，它“无条件反对，其会员资格条件绝对禁止任何被视为‘性骚扰’或‘性侵犯’的行为，包括‘反复提出性要求、胁迫、不必要的触摸和身体暴力’”。