The student population of the University of New Hampshire (UNH) was informed of an incident of sexual assault that occurred on the night of Sept. 11, 2020. The UNH Police Department alerted the community of the assault in accordance with the “Timely Warning Notice” clause in the Federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998. 

The individual in question was touched inappropriately by two males while she was in a bathroom at Stoke Hall. The fondling-related incident is one of two recent sexual assault cases on campus, the other being a repeated exposure incident. 

Stoke Hall is the largest dorm on the UNH campus, housing 595 residents. Each floor has separate male/female restrooms, but the first and eighth floor has an additional gender inclusive restroom. The incident occurred in one of the bathrooms, but it was not reported which floor it occurred on.  

UNH has its own Code of Conduct that students are expected to follow, in conjunction with New Hampshire law, when it comes to sexual assault: “Sexual misconduct includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, and unwanted sexual contact. Furthermore, sexual harassment (including sexual assault and unwanted sexual contact) is a form of prohibited discrimination.”  

It is recommended that anyone who witnesses any suspicious behavior should immediately inform the UNH Police Department. In this case, the UNH Police Department was informed of the incident on Saturday night of Sept. 12, 2020. The email sent out on Sept. 13 to the UNH community stated, “If someone approaches you or touches you in an inappropriate manner, try to get away and call out for help. Tell someone where you are going, who you will be with, and when you will be back.”

Photo courtesy of the University of New Hampshire