LEXINGTON, Ky. (WDRB) — The University of Kentucky has had three sexual assault reports filed on campus in one month.

The first sexual assault happened on Sept. 4, the second on the 20th, and the third this past Saturday. UK Police said none of them are connected in any way.

That's three different victims in September.

"You need to be careful," UK senior Eli Tiller said.

UK students like Tiller are starting to worry.

"It's definitely really scary for that to happen, because you read your email, you're in the middle of class or you're at dinner or literally anything like that, and then it's like, hey, there's sexual assault," Tiller said.

The UK Police Department received the incident report on Wednesday. It happened on Saturday inside the victim's room at a resident hall.

UK said the victim knows the suspect. Sophomore Ryan Nevils said it's scary.

"Right now, my mom's getting more and more concerned about the safety here," Nevils said. "So, it's disheartening to hear that there's so many cases because it wasn't like this last year."

UK Police launched a Special Victims Unit in 2020 to help remove barriers that survivors face. It also helps victims navigate through the criminal justice system.

"I just want people to be more aware of their surroundings and know who their friends are and know who's around them," Nevils said.

Students can now request free bus services after hours or enroll in an Uber ride voucher program.

"That's a really great initiative for us to have," Tiller said. "It is fairly new."

Tiller wants people to know they can ask for help.

"No matter how you deal with that, if you joke about it or if it's something that you're really passionate about, I really hope that us as a community and a campus, can kind of come together more," Tiller said. "The campus police are amazing. If you've ever been around campus, especially at night, we have those big blue towers, and they have the blue light on top. I've had to use them a couple of times, and when they say 30 to 45 seconds, they are not playing around."

The UK Police Department is actively investigating this incident. Any harassment or sexual assault reports can be filed through the Title 9 Office.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, UK offers free and confidential support at the Violence and Intervention Prevention Center. For more information about the center, call 859-257-3574 or click here.

Request a FREE SAFECATS student safety escort or coordinate after-hours on-demand bus service during the fall and spring semesters by calling 859-257-SAFE (7233).

Wildcab Vouchers provides eligible students with up to 10 $10 ride vouchers per semester. The vouchers are valid on Thursday, Friday and Saturday between 11 p.m.-3 a.m. within the program’s designated service area. You can request your free Wildcab Vouchers here.

"Please, please, please use the safety resources if something does happen," Tiller said. "They are there to help you and they will help you. But you have to make that first step and that's always the hardest one."

The University of Kentucky provided a statement to WDRB on October 3, 2024: 

"The safety of our students, faculty and staff is our first priority in everything we do at the University of Kentucky. Over the past decade, the UK Police Department has invested nearly $20 million in safety and security initiatives and is continually monitoring trends to refine its efforts and improve the safety of our campus.

Sexual assaults are some of the most underreported crimes on college campuses across the country because many victims face barriers or are apprehensive to come forward. UK Police launched a Special Victims Unit in 2020 to help remove barriers that survivors of any interpersonal or dating violence face when reporting incidents such as these. This unit includes a victim advocate and a detective dedicated to helping victims navigate through the criminal justice system.

UKPD as well as UK’s VIP Center and Title IX office have worked to increase awareness about resources and reporting options on campus. As we work to remove barriers, it can result in an increased number of reported crimes. Indeed, we hope expanded outreach and education have contributed to an environment in which more people feel supported in reporting and accessing help

This case is not related to the two others. This semester, UKPD has partnered with Allied Universal, a professional campus security team that works with other regional universities and large organizations across the country. This semester, security officers have been conducting community rounds around residence halls and at the William T. Young Library on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. They are an added layer to the university’s already robust security system that the UK Police Department manages on campus. UK Police, as always, continues to conduct usual patrols and has been conducting additional patrols on North Campus. UKPD has a very close working relationship with the Lexington Police Department. They actively work together to ensure safety on and around campus, where many of our students, faculty and staff live and work. Every crime bulletin that is released is distributed to our entire campus community via email, UKNow and is physically posted on bulletin boards in our residence halls."

Related Stories:

Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.