Female Student Assaulted in Duke Residence Hall Bathroom

About 5:20 a.m., an unidentified male attempted to sexually assault the student, said Major Robert Dean of the Duke University Campus Police.

Dean said that the victim is in good condition physically but that "it was a traumatic experience for her."

Dean described the assailant as an 18- to 25-year-old white male. He said the man is described as being about 6 feet tall with a stocky build and "longish brown hair" and wearing jeans and a red shirt.

Dean said the victim did not know her attacker. He said the attacker will face charges of first-degree attempted sexual assault if apprehended.

No suspects had been named as of press time.

Another female student was found Jan. 31 at 6:30 a.m. in a restroom in Randolph Residence Hall by Duke Police. The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported that the woman had been beaten and sexually assaulted.

The university police force implemented additional security measures after the January assault, but Dean said Duke officials will look for additional ways to revamp its security.

"Each time we have an incident, we review what we're doing security-wise," Dean said.

Plans for increased safety include additional locks on the doors of residence hall bathrooms so that men and women can only access facilities designated for their sex.

UNC police officials say they are also promoting increased awareness and security among students.

Robberies were reported last month in Avery Residence Hall and Granville Towers. No one was arrested in connecting with the crimes.

University police Maj. Jeff McCracken said students must take their personal safety seriously.

"It's good that students feel secure, but it's best that they keep their doors locked," he said. "The best thing people can do is to be aware of their surroundings. (They should) call us if they see suspicious people in and around the residence halls."

Ben Laws, vice president of the UNC Residence Hall Association, said students should not allow strangers to follow them into residence halls. "The most effective thing is to prevent people who don't belong there from getting in," he said. "If we could prevent tailgating, we could prevent the problems."

But Laws said that overall, he thinks the campus is secure.

"The measures we have now have prevented crimes," he said. "It's a very safe place."

"We'll definitely be following what's going on at Duke," Laws said. "(But we will) focus more specifically on the unique situations of UNC."

He said, "The most important thing for students is to make their living environment safe."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.