U of U administrators report an alarming increase in rape cases tied to one relationship

SALT LAKE CITY — A newly released study from the University of Utah shows that sexual assault has spiked dramatically from 2022 to 2023. According to the U of U's 2023 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, sexual assault spiked from 30 reports in 2022 to 175 the following year. The annual security report also reflects a sharp increase in dating violence reports: 158 in 2023, compared to four reports each in 2022 and 2021. The report cited that 175 of those sexual assault reports were from one person who said they were assaulted 150 times in the course of seven months. According to police, the victim said they were assaulted in "an almost-daily pattern of nonconsensual sex with their ex-partner.” “This victim's experience was traumatic. Each of these 150 times was non-consensual, coerced, manipulated,  negotiated, and they were not free to say no and leave,” said the Director of Communications at the University of Utah, Rebecca Walsh. “Reporting each rape is validating for the victim’s experience. Each of these were individual sexual assaults, and that’s why we must report them as individual sexual assaults and not a single sexual assault.” Campus safety records reported the alleged perpetrator stalked the student, following them into campus housing. The victim-survivor reported being physically threatened with a gun by their ex-partner. “The victim reported about 150 cases of non-consensual intercourse in the Residence Halls,” said Associate Director of Clear Compliance Programming at the U of U Todd Justesen. University officials said the alleged abuser is not a student, and they don't anticipate the perpetrator returning to campus. The survivor chose not to press charges; therefore, there is no restraining order. The survivor has received help from the victim's advocate group on campus. Walsh also recounted an Association of American University study where hundreds of students were surveyed: 45% of the students reported non-consensual sex in their personal relationships. “We have this image of rape being something that happens when someone jumps out of the bushes - but it’s much more likely to happen in personal relationships,” Walsh said. “And it’s often very dangerous to leave an abusive relationship.”

If you have experienced sexual violence, you can access help and resources by callingUtah’s 24-hour Sexual Violence Help Lineat 1-801-736-4356 (English) or 1-801-924-0860 (Spanish). You can also call theRape Recovery Center office lineduring office hoursat 801-467-7282 or theNational Sexual Assault Hotlineat 1-800-656-4673 for free, confidential counseling.

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