A sorority member at the University of Arizona has alleged that two men sexually assaulted her at a fraternity house during a night of drinking in late August, according to search warrant records made public by local media.
The student told university police that she consensually kissed one of the men while at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house on 26 August but did not remember agreeing to have sex, according to records published Monday night by KOLD-TV in Tucson.
During an interview with an investigator, the student recalled drinking tequila, including sharing a cup with friends, before the alleged assault. She told investigators that she remembered seeing two men sexually assaulting her and feeling one man’s breath on her face.
The student also said she woke up the following morning without her pants or underwear. She later experienced difficulty swallowing, which investigators noted could be a possible sign of strangulation, according to the records.
She reported the allegations to police later that day and underwent a forensic examination at a hospital.
ONE MAN ACKNOWLEDGES SEXUAL ENCOUNTER
In a recorded telephone conversation with the student two days after the incident, one of the men acknowledged having sex with her but maintained that she had consented. He denied that the second man had sex with her.
The man said he had been drunk and was “fuzzy” about what had happened. He also told the student that people had recorded a video of the two kissing in a bathroom, according to the search warrant records.
The allegations remain under investigation, and the available records do not establish that either man has been charged with a crime.
UNIVERSITY FACES SCRUTINY OVER FRATERNITY MISCONDUCT
The allegations emerged about two weeks after the University of Arizona suspended activities at all 21 of its fraternities amid reports of misconduct involving assault, hazing and drug- and alcohol-related behaviour.
The university has since lifted the suspensions of all but five fraternities following mandatory meetings with the dean of students.
Sigma Phi Epsilon was placed on probation from July through May of the following year after a hazing complaint. The fraternity is not among the five organisations currently listed as suspended.
The Associated Press contacted the university by email and telephone on Tuesday seeking comment. The university police department said the investigation was ongoing and declined to disclose whether any arrests had been made.
FRATERNITY SAYS MEMBERS INVOLVED HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED
Sigma Phi Epsilon’s national organisation said it had instructed members of its Arizona chapter to comply with the investigation.
In a statement, the fraternity’s chief executive officer, Brian Warren, said members implicated in the allegations had been suspended while the investigation continued.
“The Fraternity has suspended those involved while the investigation proceeds,” Warren said, adding that any member found responsible would be expelled from the organisation.
The fraternity also pledged to cooperate fully with law enforcement and said retaliation against the alleged victim or any witnesses would not be tolerated.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY CASE SPARKS PROTESTS
The allegations in Arizona come amid renewed national scrutiny of sexual assault claims involving fraternity members at US universities.
At Cornell University, a former student alleged that multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted her in October 2024.
The allegations prompted campus protests, renewed examination of the Ivy League institution’s disciplinary procedures and a state investigation into the reported assault. Several men accused in the case have denied engaging in non-consensual sexual activity, while others have denied touching the woman.
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FACES SEPARATE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS
Separately, a woman has filed a lawsuit against Alpha Delta Phi and its Chicago chapter, alleging that a fraternity member raped her in February at the University of Chicago.
The woman, identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe, claimed she was sexually assaulted during a party at an on-campus residence and reported the incident to city police the following day.
Chicago police did not identify the fraternity or provide an exact address when asked about the case. However, they confirmed they were investigating a reported sexual assault that occurred on the same block early on 8 February this year.
– Ends
With agency inputs
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