Allegations of more than two dozen sexual assaults are swirling around the Santa Clara University campus and hundreds of students rallied to demand more be done to stop them.
Frida’s rally had a very clear message -- this has to stop and the university needs to do more.
The rally organizer says she expected maybe 100 people to show up and instead got about 500 students.
“People at parties have witnessed men, one man in particular was caught putting something in a girl's drink,” said Clare MacMillin.
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The rally organizer added that the “one man” was not a student at the university and has been blacklisted from fraternities and future parties.
Most of the people there wore blue to support sexual assault survivors. Many said it’s the survivors’ stories that really made an impact.
“If I throw a party I’m going to have a safe environment,” said student John Shepherd. “Keep it smaller to people you know and trust.”
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The university issued a statement saying although students say they’ve heard about 30 cases of sexual assaults in just the past couple weeks, “Santa Clara University has received only two third-party reports about incidents of possible drugging since Sept. 19; and one report of possible drugging and sexual assault which the person declined to report formally. Unfortunately, lacking sufficient information, these reports have not led to actionable cases."
Police also issued a statement saying the department recently received one referral regarding an alleged sexual assault and reached out to the victim who did not want to pursue or participate in an investigation.
Students say, while survivors may need more time to come forward, there are changes that can be made now.
“We want to emphasize it’s important to ask for consent at all stages from kissing to sexual intercourse and consent must be given through all the steps,” said MacMillin.
