A young woman attending Augusta University told campus police that she was sexually assaulted last month by a man she met online and invited to campus.
The 18-year-old victim told campus police that she did not have many friends and joined a Snapchat group to find new ones. But things went downhill when she invited the 19-year-old man to campus on Oct. 26. She said the non-student not only kissed and groped her, but also joked that he was “good looking, can easily charm you and then kill you.”
The man joined her at Quad Wall building on Walton Way and convinced her to move to a quieter, more private study area. That’s where he aggressively kissed her, forced her onto his lap and put his hands into her pants. He also lifted the teen’s shirt, pulled down her bra and groped her, according to a campus police report. She said the man later grabbed her hand and “rubbed himself with it.”
Ultimately, the victim told campus police she did not want to prosecute the man. “She admitted feeling uncomfortable but did not explicitly respond with a yes or no” before he groped her, the report says.
The man asked her to go back to his house to “do it,” but she texted her friend to come and meet her because she didn’t feel safe. The friend arrived and asked the suspect, “Would you like to get stabbed?”
He responded, “I would rather be tased then stabbed.” But then he finally left. The victim reported the incident to campus police three days later.
The university website says the campus takes incidents of sexual misconduct seriously. From the AU website, “If you or someone you know has experienced an incident of sexual misconduct, or are aware of sexual misconduct where the victim or accused is an AU student, employee or campus visitor, you are strongly encouraged to report it immediately.”
To make a complaint call or email the Title IX Coordinator: Julie Kneuker, jkneuker@augusta.edu, or title_ix@augusta.edu, or call (706) 721-5144.
Complaints may also be made online at: https://www.augusta.edu/prevention/fileareport.php
Faculty, staff and student employees who receive complaints of sexual misconduct are obligated to report the complaint to the Title IX Coordinator, the website says.
