Police are currently investigating a woman’s claim of being sexually assaulted at a fraternity gathering close to the University of Chicago campus. This incident has occurred against the backdrop of increased attention on sexual violence within college environments. As of Wednesday, no charges have been filed by Chicago police, despite the University of Chicago’s earlier notification of identifying a person of interest.
The situation in Chicago unfolds amidst ongoing controversy over how Cornell University handled a similar sexual assault case in 2024, involving allegations of drugging and gang rape by fraternity members. While internal disciplinary measures were taken by the university, no criminal charges were pursued. The University of Chicago, renowned for its academic excellence and housing 18,000 students, disclosed that a non-student woman reported being sexually assaulted at a party held at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house over the weekend.
The victim, a 21-year-old woman, reported the assault to law enforcement and sought medical care at a hospital. Notably, the accused perpetrator fled the scene upon being confronted by another individual. Despite requests, Chicago police did not immediately release the incident report detailing the alleged assault. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the victim indicated that she began feeling unwell after drinking and dancing at the party. Subsequently, her friends discovered her in a compromised state with a partially undressed man in a bathroom, amidst a crowd of cheering onlookers.
Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity has denied any involvement by its members in the assault or any form of encouragement towards it. The fraternity’s University of Chicago chapter emphasized that upon being alerted by one of the victim’s friends, fraternity members promptly intervened to assist the woman and terminated the party. The fraternity’s national spokesperson, Jonathan Pierce, asserted that there is no evidence linking AEPi members to the assault. Security cameras captured the assailant fleeing the premises.
University officials have confirmed that the identified person of interest is not associated with the school in any capacity. This incident follows Cornell University’s recent decision to suspend fraternity house parties until the next year and involve the New York State Police in investigations concerning campus sexual assaults. Similarly, the University of Arizona has suspended fraternity activities due to multiple reports of assault, hazing, and other misconduct.