Forcible sexual offenses on campus more than tripled in 2012, according to the University’s Annual Security Report in accordance with the Clery Act.
The Annual Security Report is an annual compilation of statistics required by the Clery Act. Any school receiving federal aid must submit these statistics, The Eagle previously reported.
Seven incidents of forcible sex offenses on campus were reported to the Department of Public Safety throughout the 2011-2012 academic year, a jump from two in 2011, according to the report.
Forcible sex offenses are defined as any forcible sexual act directed against another person, against that person’s will.
However, most forcible sex offenses occurred in public areas surrounding AU’s campus in 2012, including the four incidents of forcible fondling that took place last October, Clery Act Compliance Coordinator Adam Cooper said.
The number of forcible sex offenses on public property around campus rose from one to nine between the 2011 and 2012 reports.
However, these numbers do not equal a total amount of incidents and only account for incidents that are reported to the Department of Public Safety, Cooper said in an email. The numbers may be higher because victims choose not to go through AU’s advocacy system or the courts, The Eagle previously reported.
Public Safety and the Metropolitan Police Department are collaborating to better monitor areas surrounding campus, according to Cooper.
Alcohol violations rise in 2012
Liquor law violations on main campus almost doubled from 2011-2012 as 320 violations were reported in 2012 compared to 2011’s 174 violations.
Cooper said many factors attribute to the 83 percent rise in alcohol violations, including the number of students on campus, availability of alcohol and education about alcohol and enforcement.
However, alcohol violations dropped from 386 in 2010 to 174 in 2011, the first drop in many years, The Eagle previously reported.
The fluctuation in alcohol violations may also be a result of a stricter noise control enforcement, according to Rosie McSweeney, director of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution Services.
Alcohol violations on Tenley campus increased 148 percent, citing 62 violations in 2012 and 25 in 2011, according to the report.
Liquor law violations on Tenley campus are expected to drop in 2013 because it is currently under construction. However, it is still considered a campus and violations can still occur on the property, Cooper said in an email.
Burglaries, robberies, motor vehicle thefts and aggravated assault drop in 2012
Burglaries on main campus dropped from 31 incidents in 2011 to 25 in 2012, according to the report. Robberies, aggravated assault and motor vehicle thefts also decreased in 2012 with no reported instances on main campus.
Public Safety attributes the drop to new surveillance technology on campus.
“Additional security infrastructure and upgrades to our cameras, locks, and monitoring systems have acted as a deterrent to criminal activity in general,” Cooper said in an email.
Arson remains steady over two years
There were four accounts of arson in 2012 and four in 2011 on the main campus, according to the report.
“DPS has issued several Crime Alerts for arsons that have occurred on campus to inform the community of these incidents,” Cooper said in an email.
