INDIANAPOLIS — A crime notice was issued Sunday morning at IUPUI after a man intentionally and sexually touched a woman Saturday night on a sidewalk.
A woman told police she was walking around 10:15 pm. near the loading dock of the University Tower when an unknown man passed and sexually touched her non-consensually, according to the crime notice. The man then left the area on a bicycle.
Police are still working to identify the suspect, according to the crime notice.
The notice provided the following safety tips in the alert:
- Sexual assault can happen to anyone. Each member of the IUPUI community shares in the responsibility to create and maintain a safe and respectful environment for all individuals. You can help reduce the risk of sexual assault by watching out for the safety of others. While not all crimes of sexual violence are alike, the following information may be helpful:
- Consent – Anyone initiating any kind of sexual contact with another person must obtain their consent. Consent is an agreement or permission expressed through affirmative, voluntary words or actions that are mutually understandable to all parties involved. Consent cannot be given by someone who is incapacitated by the use of alcohol and/or drugs. Consent can be withdrawn at any time. Consent cannot be coerced or compelled by force, threat, deception or intimidation.
- Personal Safety – Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. Be aware of your surroundings. Avoid walking alone whenever possible. Use well-lit, regularly traveled walks and pathways, especially at night. Avoid shortcuts and keep away from shrubbery, bushes, alleyways, or any other poorly-lit area where an assailant might be lurking. Keep your ears clear of headphones and your hands free of packages or bags. Report suspicious behavior, even if you are not being directly threatened.
- Perpetrators may use social media platforms to meet potential victims. Be cautious on what you share and how you use social media. Perpetrators often use drugs and/or alcohol to target potential victims. Date rape drugs are tasteless, colorless, odorless, can be ingested in a multitude of forms, and effects are not immediately apparent. Be cautious of any substance you are drinking, eating or inhaling that you have not personally prepared and has not remained in your constant control.
- Bystander Intervention – Look out for each other. If one of you cannot be with a group of trusted friends, tell each other where you are going, whom you will be with, when you expect to return, and that you’ll contact them if anything changes. If you see someone in trouble, safely intervene or call the police immediately.
- Perpetrators of sexual assault are often more likely to assault someone they know, rather than a stranger. The perpetrator, not the survivor, is responsible for any instance of sexual assault.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call police at 317-274-7911 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 (TIPS).
