The police department at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) issued a warning to the college community Tuesday after a female student reported she had been sexually assaulted at a residence hall near the campus.
According to a CSUSM bulletin, campus police are now investigating the alleged sexual assault of a young woman at the QUAD residence hall located at 200 East Barham Drive, which is located less than a mile north of the university.
The student told police she was attacked in the late hours of Feb. 24. She reported the incident for the first time Tuesday to the CSUSM Police Department.
The bulletin says the suspect is known to the victim, but it not in custody at this time. The suspect is described as a 19-year-old man who stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 215 pounds. He has dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. He is not a student at CSUSM, police said.
The incident is under investigation. Anyone with information on this case should contact CSUSM police at (760) 750-4567 or the university’s SAFE hotline at 760-750-SAFE. Tipsters can also anonymously call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
The university’s bulletin urged students to “please take all necessary precautions” and laid out some guidelines for students to protect themselves from sexual assault. This includes remembering that “No Means No and Yes Means Yes,” and weighing the effects of alcohol, and how “a person who is intoxicated cannot give consent.”
The bulletin also says students should be mindful of who they allow into their apartments, and always attend social gatherings with a group of friends, never alone.
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CSUSM says students should report any unsafe situation immediately to authorities. Victims of any form of sexual assault or harassment are also encouraged to seek support at the university’s Student Health and Counseling Center on Chavez Circle near Campus Way and Campus View Drive or by calling the center at (760) 750-4915.
Victims and witnesses can also report sexual misconduct to CSUSM’s Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Bridget Blanshan, who can help provide support and resources, by calling (760) 750-4056.
Unrelated to the campus, victims of sexual assault can also call The Center for Community Solutions crisis line at (888) 385-4657. The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) is also a resource to report sexual assault, either online or by calling (800) 656-HOPE.
