A member of the Saint Mary’s community reported an incident of sexual assault that took place off-campus during the early morning hours Friday, according to a Friday evening email from director of Saint Mary’s Campus Safety Phil Bambenek.
Bambenek said the female victim, a student, met the assailant through the online dating application BLK. After sharing food and drinks with him, the student reportedly felt ill and was assaulted in his apartment in an “unknown location.”
The email described the assailant as a young Black male with wavy hair, driving a small white sedan.
Bambenek reminded students to seek consent when initiating sexual contact and emphasized a survivor is never to blame for sexual assault.
“The perpetrator, not the survivor, is responsible for any instance of sexual assault,” he said. “Nothing a survivor does or does not do is an excuse for sexual assault.”
Information for sexual assault prevention and resources for survivors can be found through the Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO) at 574-284-4081 or the Campus Safety Department.
