A female student reported being assaulted at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house on Halloween
All fraternity social activity has been suspended at Atlanta’s Emory University in response to an alleged rape at a campus fraternity house on Halloween.
In a letter to members of the Emory community, Senior Vice President and Dean of Campus Life Ajay Nair said the school’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) will not host social events until “a comprehensive plan is developed to ensure the safety of our community members.”
According to the college’s student newspaper The Emory Wheel, the IFC took the school’s latest rape allegation as an opportunity to try to address the root problem of sexual violence. In a statement, the IFC said there was “much more work to do” when it comes to addressing assault.
“This pause will give our community time to reevaluate how we address the intolerable issues of sexual violence, substance abuse, and discrimination on our campus,” the statement reads, according to the Emory Wheel. “These recent events are incongruent with our fraternal and communal values.”
A female student reported being assaulted at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house on Halloween. The fraternity responded to the allegations in a statement saying they were “investigating” the rape claims.
“Any form of assault or sexual misconduct is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate actions that violate our values,” the statement reads. “In addition, Sigma Alpha Epsilon will not hesitate to take corrective actions or impose sanctions on any member or chapter that fails to adhere to our expectations.”
In a statement to TIME, Nair praised the IFC, which he said “demonstrated their genuine concern and care for the community by holding themselves accountable, and working with administration to develop a strategy to solve this public health issue.”
“Sexual violence is not tolerated on our campus,” the statement reads. “We have strong systems in place that provide a safe space for students to report and get the support they need. In addition, we are working to expand the current best practices available to address prevention – to stop sexual assault before it happens.”
Emory is one of 55 schools that the Department of Education began investigating for their approach to sexual assault complaints last spring, as the Federal government has taken a leading role in efforts to confront the widespread problem of sexual violence on U.S. campuses. A reported one-in-five women will become victims of an attempted or completed assault while in college.
