Notre Dame Security Police (NDSP) is investigating a weekend report of forcible fondling that occurred at a student-sponsored event in the late hours of Friday evening, according to an email alert sent to students Saturday.
Forcible fondling is defined in the email as "the touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, forcibly and/or against that person's will; or, not forcibly or against that person's will where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her youth or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental incapacity." The definition is legally established by federal law, cited in the email as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics or the Clery Act.
The incident, which was reported to NDSP on Saturday, occurred in a building on the north side of campus where a student-sponsored event was taking place, the email stated.
"Forcible fondling ... and other sexual assaults can happen to anyone," the email stated. "Being aware of your own safety and watching out for your friends are important steps you can take to reduce the risk of sexual assault."
Information about sexual assault prevention and resources for survivors of sexual assault is available from NDSP and the Committee for Sexual Assault Prevention online. To report a crime in progress, suspicious activity or another emergency, dial 911 from any campus phone or 574-631-5555 from a cell phone.
