Advertisement Another Stonehill College student reports sexual assault By Michele Morgan Bolton, the Patriot Ledger Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Another female student has come forward at Stonehill College to offer a report of sexual abuse on the Catholic school's Easton campus, The Patriot Ledger reported.College Police Chief Peter Carnes sent out an email notification to the entire college community about 6:15 p.m.In the alert, Carnes said the young woman approached campus police Tuesday night and told them she had been sexually abused twice in the last four weeks in a residence hall.The student said the alleged perpetrator was a fellow student who was known to her, Carnes said.And, he said, "The student has chosen to exercise her right not to provide the accused student's name at this time."The news comes as five such incidents have been reported at area schools in the last several weeks, including the one at Stonehill and two each at Massasoit Community College in Brockton and Bridgewater State University.Carnes said he was making the public announcement in order to be in compliance with the Clery Act, a federal statute that requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to disclose information about crime on and near their campuses.Compliance is monitored by the federal Department of Education, and violations can lead to a fine of up to $35,000 per incident when infractions are identified.Stonehill College spokesman Martin McGovern said school officials take the allegation seriously even though the victim has opted not to name her alleged attacker.Colleges are required under the gender equity law Title IX to investigate all allegations of sexual abuse, and McGovern said an inquiry will begin immediately.The school has 60 days to complete the investigation.Stonehill will not pursue an individual investigation of the alleged perpetrator, however, since the student has requested anonymity, he said."In a case where we identified a perpetrator by other means, the college would indeed investigate further," he said.Stonehill has many sexual assault resources available, both on and off campus, he and Carnes said.