Campus police are investigating an alleged sexual assault in a Randolph Dormitory bathroom early Wednesday morning.
Maj. Robert Dean of the Duke University Police Department said a student found a fellow female resident in shock in a restroom at about 6 a.m. The victim was transported to the Emergency Department, treated and released yesterday.
The victim, a freshman, told police she entered a stall in the restroom and as she exited the stall, an unknown man confronted her. The victim reported that the man sprayed her in the eyes with a liquid substance that temporarily blinded her and then beat and sexually assaulted her sometime between 2 and 6 a.m.
"We are doing everything we can to catch the person responsible for this crime, and as usual, we will increase patrols," Dean said. Five investigators have been assigned to the case.
Dean said Wednesday afternoon police did not know whether the victim was raped, and neither police nor University officials said they knew whether the assault involved an acquaintance or a stranger. The only description released by the police is that the attacker is male.
Sue Wasiolek, assistant vice president for student affairs, said she spoke with the victim and that she is expected to make a full recovery.
Campus police and staff from Counseling and Psychological Services held a dorm meeting with residents Wednesday night to counsel students, answer questions about safety precautions and ask students for help in identifying suspicious individuals.
Charles George, community service officer for East Campus, said the bathroom door was propped ajar, possibly with toilet paper stuffed into the lock.
At the meeting, several students proposed more security measures, including guards at the two doors of the dorm, surveillance cameras and alarms in the bathrooms.
Sgt. John Sheley explained that the police department has a finite amount of resources and people, and that extra security measures may not have prevented Wednesday morning's assault.
Police reported it has been "quite a few years" since there had been an incident in University dorms similar to this case.
"I think in some ways we have good security, but at times it gets undermined," said Donna Lisker, director of the Women's Center. "For example, all of our dorms have card locks, but those doors get propped and people let people in they don't know."
Residents said they were questioned by investigators in the hours after the victim was found.
"I got up at 8:40, and the police were talking to everyone on the hall," said freshman Jennifer Morales, a hallmate of the victim. "They asked me when we had gotten home, what time we went to bed, if we had heard or seen anything suspicious. It's one of those things that you don't think could happen to you until it happens so close. It's one thing to be walking around on campus outside, but this is something that happened at home--it's really alarming and uncomfortable."
Freshman Julie Hutchinson said she checked the stalls in her bathroom before taking a shower yesterday afternoon.
"I felt safe in the dorm since it has been under resident-only restricted access because of vandalism here last semester," she said. "I guess we were naive to assume that no one would get in and then, of all things, wait for someone like that."
Late last night, several students reported that their bathrooms, which were previously open, had been locked, and notices posted on men's bathroom doors reported that men would have to use their bedroom keys to enter their bathrooms.
"We're asking [students] not to prop bathroom doors or wedge paper towels in the locking units," Dean said. "Don't allow anyone to tailgate into your dorm and... immediately report any suspicious persons in your dorm. When you leave your room, even for a second, always lock your door."
Wasiolek said her office has sent an e-mail to residential advisors advising proper precautions.
Anyone with information pertaining to the case is asked to contact Lieutenant Sara-Jane Raines at 684-4713.
Dave Ingram contributed to this story.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.