A woman was reportedly sexually assaulted while attending a toga party on Pratt Street early Sunday morning, Boston University Police Department officials said.’
A group of women flagged down a BUPD officer at about 12:40 p.m. while walking down Babcock Street and informed the officer that at some point during the party, an unknown man sexually assaulted one of the women in the group, BUPD Sgt. Jeffrey Burke said.’
BUPD officials had no further information on the incident because it was outside their jurisdiction. Boston Police Department officials, however, could not confirm the woman was a BU student because it was a sexual assault.
BU spokesman Colin Riley said BU tries to prevent incidents like this by providing students with immediate assistance and information.’
On the back of every student ID, there are numbers for BUPD, BU Escort Security Service and crisis intervention counselors, Riley said.’
‘Anyone in need can make a phone call immediately to get assistance,’ he said.’
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences senior and Pratt Street resident Brianna Velasquez said the incident is a reminder to be extra careful.’ ‘
‘I guess it’s daunting because I live in a big house with five other girls and not everyone is going to lock the door,’ she said. ‘It just goes to show you can’t do that because there’s things that happen all the time at night. You just have to be very careful.’
College of Communication junior Nicole Chun, also a Pratt Street resident, said she feels safer than she did when she lived on Highgate Street because Pratt Street is mostly made up of college students.
‘Highgate is more secluded,’ she said. ‘If I walk home late at night on Pratt Street, the people that are outside are usually people who live in the houses and are just hanging out on their porches.’
College of Arts and Sciences junior Alyssa Vertuca, a Pratt Street resident, said despite this incident occurring on her street she still feels safe.’
‘It’s disturbing how close it is to [where] I live,’ Vertuca said. ‘But it’s not the first episode of its kind that has happened in the area. So it’s not completely uncommon, unfortunately.’
Burke said he advises students to walk in groups, remain in well-lit areas and stay with friends at parties.
‘Don’t put down open containers and come back to them after they’ve been sitting a while and don’t leave the group and go off with someone else,’ he said. ‘Trying to stay together is the best idea.”
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