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SALT LAKE CITY — Reported rapes at the University of Utah increased nearly sixfold from 2022 to 2023, with a single relationship university officials said was "plagued by a history of coercion and interpersonal violence" accounting for 150 of 175 reports.
According to the university's just-released 2023 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, rape reports spiked from 30 in 2022 to 175 the subsequent year.
The victim-survivor told police that the rapes occurred over a seven-month period between 2021 and 2022. Federal law requires that the offenses be counted during the calendar year they were reported.
The student reported "an almost-daily pattern of nonconsensual sex with their ex-partner— both on and off campus," according to documents provided to the Deseret News in advance of a campuswide message sent Thursday morning.
The report to the university community states that the alleged perpetrator stalked the student, following them into campus housing. The victim-survivor reported being threatened physically — sometimes with a gun, the report said.
The annual security report also reflects a sharp increase in dating violence reports, 158 in 2023, compared to four reports each in 2022 and 2021. That figure was also attributed to the abusive relationship, officials said.
University of Utah Chief Safety Officer Keith Squires said the university's crime statistics tend to "stay fairly consistent." For instance, there were 25 other rapes reported in 2023, down slightly from 30 reported rapes the previous year, according to the safety report.
"We're always looking at ways that we can reduce numbers to increase safety. We use a data analysis, data-driven effort on a regular weekly basis of assessing crime on campus. But this year, because of just a sad situation that took place and the reporting from one victim, it shows a number in our increase of rapes that is quite remarkable," he said.
Experts say sexual violence frequently occurs alongside other abusive behavior. People who have been physically abused by their partner have often experienced sexual abuse, and haven't disclosed or did not realize sexual violence does not always include physical violence, making it difficult to acknowledge the abuse.
This year, because of just a sad situation that took place and the reporting from one victim, it shows a number in our increase of rapes that is quite remarkable.
–Keith Squires, University of Utah chief safety officer
The federal Clery Act requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about crime on and near their respective campuses.
Congress enacted the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act in 1990. It has been amended to include increased safety and reporting measures. The act is named for a college freshman who in 1986 was raped and murdered in her residence on the campus of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.
The university consulted with the U.S. Department of Education to inquire how the incidents needed to be reported to comply with federal law and they were told each offense had to be reported separately and counted in the calendar year they were reported to police.
University officials said they will release no information about the victim-survivor to protect their privacy. They also asked that the location of the on-campus sexual assaults not be disclosed to further protect the victim-survivor.
Presidential Special Adviser Chris Linder, who is also director of the university's McCluskey Center for Violence Prevention and an associate professor who conducts research on sexual violence among college students, said the reporting requirements of the Clery Act can be traumatizing to victim-survivors. The act "needs some serious attention" by Congress to address the "incongruence" between its intent when it was passed and what is happening on college campuses in 2024.
"At the federal level, there's actually a lot of research that indicates it's not trauma informed. Not even the timely warnings that we are required to send out because of Clery, those are also re-traumatizing to victim-survivors," Linder said.
"These practices really aren't trauma-informed, but we don't get a choice as to whether or not we participate in them, because if we don't do it, we'll get these massive fines."
Trauma-informed practice is an approach to health and care interventions that is grounded in the understanding that trauma exposure can impact an individual's neurological, biological, psychological and social development.
The university also publishes an annual state-required Student Housing Crime Statistics Report, which includes information about the Clery Act's reportable offenses such as sex offenses, property crimes, hate crimes, Violence Against Women Act offenses along with drug, alcohol and weapon violations.
The housing crime report also reflects sharp increases in sexual assaults and dating violence stemming from the 150 rape reports filed by the single victim-survivor.
Squires said the well-being of the victim-survivor is of "prime concern" and the university is taking many steps to protect their privacy and continue to refer them to resources.
At the same time, "we felt it's important also for us to be able to share information ... because I've talked to several parents over the time that I've been here who acknowledge that they use the Clery report. They look at it when they're comparing universities for their child to attend and this information will definitely stand out," so it is important to provide context, he said.
According to a Frequently Asked Questions portion of the report to the campus, the victim-survivor declined to participate in further investigation of the incidents, which were reported after the encounters ended.
"The victim has the right to decline a formal investigation, and their decision to do so does not diminish or invalidate their claims," the report states.
The victim-survivor has worked with university police crime victim advocates over the past year and has connected with services for future support, officials said.
Over the past several years, the university's Department of Public Safety leaders have implemented practices to improve trauma-informed responses within the department and in briefings across campus — to Student Affairs, the Center for Campus Wellness, Housing and Residential Education, Associated Students of the University of Utah, and the Academic Senate, among other groups.
The FAQ also addresses why some people stay in relationships that are unhealthy or even dangerous.
Linder said the period immediately after leaving an abusive relationship is extremely dangerous.
"So sometimes, people stay in a relationship because it's actually the safest for them, because when people leave, the person loses control over them, and that's when the behavior escalates into murder, as we've seen in other cases," she said.
In some cases, a person experiencing violence or abuse has become isolated from their communities and perceive they have nowhere to go.
Linder said another reason why people stay in abusive relationships "is that the behavior becomes normalized over time. The behavior starts out at a very low level. Sometimes students even think it's good, right? Like 'My boyfriend's jealous. It's so good that he cares about me so much.' So it sort of starts out low, and it escalates in these ways."
Squires said the university takes intimate partner violence very seriously.
"We believe our community members and will connect all affected by intimate partner violence with resources. We are here for you," he said.
Resources
Professional advocates are available at both the University Public Safety Department and the Center for Campus Wellness.
Additional resources are available at: The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition and the Rape Recovery Center.
The National Sexual Assault Hotline offers confidential support 24/7. Call 800-656-4673 or chat online at online.rainn.org.
