Dye Responds to Sexual Assault

To the Editor:

I would like to correct several errors and misperceptions that have appeared in the Oberlin Review about the alleged rape that was reported on the evening of Drag Ball. 
The victim in this case reported a rape to the Oberlin city police, and she identified her assailant by name. The police transported the victim to the Sexual Assault Care Center at the Nord Mental Health Center, where she was seen by a nurse and victim advocate, and then transported home. Later, she returned to the police department to sign a formal complaint.
The city police immediately notified the College’s director of security that the suspect was a College security officer. This officer was relieved of his duties immediately. After an internal investigation, the director of Security terminated the officer in question, and also issued a “no trespass” order which bars him permanently from this campus. 
Our Security department considered sending out an all-campus security alert, but decided that this was not necessary, given the fact that the identity of the suspect was known, the College had terminated his employment and banned him from campus, and that the matter had been immediately reported to the police.
Oberlin College has a strong sexual offense policy that governs all students and everyone who works on the campus. The fact that the victim was not a student in no way lessened the College’s obligation to respond promptly and appropriately to this incident.

–Nancy Dye
College President