Social media posts among UCSB students have been warning of rapes at fraternity parties, just a month into the fall quarter. But only one rape was formally reported to the university police department, according to UCSB spokesperson Andrea Estrada, who said it was anonymously made on October 27. No sexual assaults have been reported to the Sheriff’s Office since UCSB’s quarter started on September 22, spokesperson Raquel Zick said.
The UCSB Police Department sent a “Timely Warning” to the campus community the next day, stating the rape occurred at Sigma Pi, one of the fraternity houses in Isla Vista. According to UCSB’s Daily Nexus, two sexual assault victims earlier in the month also named the frat house. The student-run newspaper reported that the alleged assailant had been fired from the fraternity.
UCSB-PD’s Timely Warning — a requirement of the federal Clery Act — reported the victim was assaulted on the evening of October 26 and described the assailant as a 22-year-old, brown-haired, brown-eyed male about 5'10'' tall. Estrada explained that the Clery Act — which requires institutions receiving federal dollars to disclose threats to students and staff — necessitated the university to report incidents on campus and within its “Clery geography,” as well as those reported to UCSB-PD. (“Clery geography” for UCSB includes recognized organizations like fraternities, even off campus.)