Upon returning to the residence halls this past weekend,
students breathed a sigh of relief to learn that three suspects in
an alleged sexual assault in De Neve Plaza were arrested Dec. 6,
just one day after the attack was reported.
On the afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 5, police responded to a call
that a rape had occurred mid-morning in the Fir Grove building of
the De Neve on-campus housing complex. Though an arrest was not
made on the spot, the victim and witnesses provided descriptions of
three suspects, according to university police, and the suspects,
all minors, were apprehended the next day.
No further details about the case, the suspects, or the arrest
will be available unless the suspects are found guilty, said UCPD
spokeswoman Nancy Greenstein. The suspects were Carson High School
students touring the campus who broke away from a tour group,
according to the Associated Press.
The rescheduled date for the hearing, where prosecutors will
seek to try the juveniles as adults, will be announced on Jan.
17.
Amy Kessler, a first-year psychobiology student who lives in
Fir, was personally impacted by the incident. Early in the
afternoon of Dec. 5 two young men knocked on her door looking for
someone, she said.
“They were looking over my shoulder into my room, but I
was blocking my door so I wouldn’t let them in … they asked
if my roommate was there and I said “˜no she’s in class, and I
have to go study’, and I shut the door,” Kessler
said.
When Kessler later found out about an assault she said her
stomach dropped to her feet.
“You can’t help think “˜What if, what did I do
differently, why not me?’,” she said.
Kessler was also angered and saddened by the incident.
“I used to feel really safe here,” she said.
A floor president, Kessler said she has been brainstorming with
her floormates to implement more safety measures, such as an
all-Fir gathering so residents can get to know each other.
“I won’t be opening the Fir door to anyone I
don’t know, but I don’t want to slam the door on
someone I live with,” Kessler said.
Other Fir residents found out about the alleged assault shortly
after it happened, by word of mouth as well as from the UCPD.
While students are overcoming the initial shock of the alleged
assault, UCPD officials and Housing Department officials are trying
to secure student safety to reassure students.
Housing’s Safety and Security Committee is still
discussing future educational and security programs and Housing
officials stress the need for constant student vigilance.
“Safety is a shared responsibility between the university
and the students,” said Director of Housing Michael
Foraker.
Administrators agree that if one thing can be learned from this
incident, it is that students must be aware of their surroundings
and look out for the well-being of their fellow residents.
“When something bad happens, it gives you the opportunity
to become more educated,” said Greenstein. “This
reminds us that you have to be cautious 24 hours.”
Greenstein said the alleged perpetrators accessed the building
by following a resident inside.
Foraker said students must be more cautious of individuals they
let into their buildings.
Director of Residential Life Suzanne Seplow agrees.
“Students need to shift their culture to one where,
instead of courteously opening doors for everyone, you ask fellow
residents to swipe themselves in or call their friends to meet
them,” she said.
First-year business economics student Diane Sullivan understands
the easy accessibility of the Fir building. “I went to meet a
friend in De Neve and she said, “˜Just wait for someone to
hold the door open for you’,” she explained.
In addition to stressing student awareness, Seplow, who heads
the Safety and Security Committee, said the committee, made up of
UCPD employees from the Center for Women and Men, residential
assistants, program assistants, and other students, are discussing
ways to make the dormitories safer. They began their work by
hanging flyers during winter break, updating residents about the
assault case and providing residence hall safety tips.
Members of the Safety and Security Committee will also decide if
extra security measures, such as front desks in the De Neve
buildings, extra UCPD patrollers or security cameras, need to be
implemented.
First-year business economics student and Fir resident Alisa Le
believes steps should be taken toward ensuring student safety.
“We should get a system like Sproul and the other
high-rise dorms where we have a check-in desk,” Le said.
Students interested in joining the Safety and Security Committee
can visit the Web site, www.orl.ucla.edu/security, for more
information. With reports from Amy Frye, Daily Bruin Senior
Staff.