Two Sexual Assaults Occur Near Campus

Santa Clara Police Department issues sketch of suspect Jesse Baker ASSOCIATE REPORTER September 26, 2013 [dropcap]I[/dropcap]nvesting in some pepper spray may not be a bad idea, especially for female students.Two sexual assaults occurred near the Santa Clara campus in the past two months. A female attending a summer education program was attacked Aug. 1 around 1:40 a.m. She was able to fight off the assailant who was possibly wielding a knife, according to a report by NBC Bay Area.Another female student was attacked near the University Villas on Aug. 21 around midnight. She too was able to defend herself against the assailant. The Santa Clara Police Department issued a sketch of the suspect after the second incident, available on Santa Clara’s website, under “Campus Alerts.”The suspect is a white male, around six feet tall, weighing about 200 pounds, with a dirty-blond “fohawk” hairstyle.Campus Safety Services has responded to these events by issuing “safety tips” on the Santa Clara website. The statement offers advice on how to prevent crime while at home, outside and in the car. CSS urges students not to walk alone, to avoid dark streets, to walk with confidence and to pay attention to their surroundings.The recent incidents have instilled fear in Santa Clara students.“Even though (the assaults) happened during the summer, (they) affect all of the students this quarter, especially women,” said sophomore Hannah Richards. “When I go off campus now I’m afraid to walk home alone. I bought a taser.” Santa Clara students, especially females, should heed CSS advice, and take preventative measures to avoid vulnerable situations. Students may call the CSS non-emergency number to request a “Safe Walk” home by a fellow student, a program the Associated Student Government implemented last fall.Contact Jesse Baker at jbaker@scu.edu.