University of Chicago Investigates Fraternity House Sexual Assault
The University of Chicago has announced the identification of a person of interest in relation to a sexual assault at a fraternity house last weekend. This individual was identified through witness statements and video evidence, all of which have been shared with the Chicago Police Department. The university confirmed that the person of interest is not a student and has no affiliation with the university. This person has been banned from campus.
A source familiar with the investigation disclosed to CBS News Chicago that multiple individuals connected to the incident have likewise been banned from the university, despite not being students. As of Thursday morning, no arrests had been made.
The assault occurred at the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity house, located at 5625 S. University Ave, across from the west side of UChicago’s Main Quad in Hyde Park. According to a report by the University of Chicago, a 21-year-old woman reported a sexual assault in the bathroom during a fraternity party at 1:50 a.m. Sunday. She is not affiliated with the university and did not know her attacker. When someone intervened, the suspect fled, matching a description captured on area surveillance video.
A University of Chicago police officer was flagged down to respond, and the woman was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Students have described the atmosphere along Fraternity Row on University Avenue during ‘rush season,’ a recruitment period for fraternities and sororities involving frequent parties and events. A video appeared online showing a woman, identified as a friend of the victim, pursuing a man she claimed assaulted her friend during the party. She alleged her friend was drugged and incapacitated during the attack, held down by the assailant. The video was reportedly taken near the Henry Crown Field House, close to the fraternity house.
CBS News Chicago continues to verify details from the footage to confirm the involvement of the individuals recorded.
“Sexual violence on college campuses is not isolated but constitutes a pervasive public health crisis,” stated Jillian Furey, a clinical services supervisor for Resilience, a rape crisis center in Chicago. She highlighted the difficulties survivors face in court proceedings, with a low conviction rate.
Students are voicing concerns following the incident. One suggested the need for serious examination of fraternity safety and their future existence, while another noted the potential damage to the fraternity’s reputation irrespective of culpability.
This incident coincides with separate allegations at Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity house, sparking discourse on fraternity culture nationwide.
The National AEPi organization has directed this chapter to halt all events and programs during the ongoing investigation. In their statement, the fraternity expressed sympathy for the victim. As of now, no charges have been filed against the identified person of interest.