The number of rapes reported on the campus residence halls at the University of Tennessee has seen an upward trend this year.
In September, three students reported rape, marking the firth case since March. The latest incident happened on Saturday in a residence building at the west side of campus. It was reported to the campus police by a university official, but the victim declined to file a complaint with the police.
Another student was raped in a similar way earlier this month by a known person inside the residence hall. She also didn’t file a formal complaint with the police, leading to no investigation into the incidents.
USAToday, while quoting the numbers from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, has reported that a total of eight cases of sexual assault happened on campus in 2017, resulting in arrests in four cases.
Earlier this week, the university’s Center for Health Education and Wellness winded up its initiative where students were made to sign a Red Zone banner pledging to speak against the sexual assaults.