According to press reports including The Enterprise of Brockton, Bridgewater State University police campus recently received allegations of two rapes on campus. University officials didn’t make the reports public and inform students. Sound like a foolish, ridiculous decision, no? Before the usual names in the feminist community start screaming how callous this is, and how it’s evidence of misogyny, let’s take a more careful look.
The reason the information wasn’t made public on campus and off? The suspects involved were quickly caught and there was no continuing danger, according to university officials. According to an Associated Press report, the alleged assaults were reported separately on Sept. 3 and Sept. 20. One allegedly occurred in a gym, the other in a dormitory. The university’s decision was explained by Fred Clark, executive vice president and vice president of external affairs, who told The Brockton Enterprise if there’s no perceived ”continuing threat, we don’t send out a notice if a crime occurred.”
Was this the right decision? As a Norfolk County sex offense attorney, I think so. My feeling hinges no only on the presumption of innocence afforded the defendants, but the lack of a continuing threat. I think that the University should have doubled-up the campus police presence and offered increased student awareness training. But to report a continuing threat where the alleged threat has by all appearances been removed, I’m not sure these circumstances justify panicking some students. And let’s not place last on the list: The reports involve allegations. No one yet knows what really happened in these incidents. Boyfriend-girlfriend fights are not all uncommon in these campus situations. Trust me; I’ve defended many a Massachusetts sexual assault charge, where the accusations were completely false. That goes for straight and gay couples, both.