Community Concern Regarding Recent Reports of Criminal Battery

SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

To: Members of the University Community

From: Eric M. Heath, Associate Vice President for Safety & Security, and Bridget Collier, Associate Vice Provost for Equal Opportunity Programs & Title IX Coordinator

Subject: Community Concern Regarding Recent Reports of Criminal Battery

In recent days, the University received two reports from female victims who stated that while walking on sidewalks on-campus, they were approached by an unknown male individual on a bicycle who touched the victims’ buttocks and then fled on the bicycle. No other criminal conduct was reported. These incidents are considered battery under Illinois law.

The most recent reports are similar to several reports of off-campus incidents made to the Chicago Police Department and the University of Chicago Police Department in recent weeks. In most cases, victims described the male individual as wearing a green or yellow shirt and riding a Divvy bicycle.

If you have any information related to these incidents or if you witness any suspicious activity, please report it to the UCPD immediately by activating an emergency phone, by calling UCPD, or by using the UChicago Safe mobile safety app.

In addition to reporting incidents to police, below are additional options for reporting sexual misconduct:

  • The Center for Awareness Resolution, Education, and Support (UChicago CARES):
  • Confidential Resources:
    • The Sexual Assault Dean-on-Call: A student can contact the Sexual Assault Dean-on-Call by calling the UCPD Dispatch at 773.702.8181 and asking UCPD to page the Sexual Assault Dean-on-Call, or by using the UChicago Safe App. For additional information, please visit https://help.uchicago.edu/sexual-assault-dean-on-call/.
    • The Student Wellness Center is located at 840 E. 59th Street. Students can schedule wellness services by calling 773.834.9355.
    • For urgent mental health care, students can reach the Therapist-on-Call 24/7/365 at 773-702-3625. A student experiencing a medical or mental health emergency should go to their nearest emergency room. In Hyde Park, the University of Chicago Medicine's Emergency Department is located at 5656 South Maryland Avenue, 773-702-6250. For more information: https://wellness.uchicago.edu.
    • Employee Assistance Program (Perspectives): 800.866.7556. Available 24/7.
  • Additional Resources:

Additionally, there are several external resources that can assist survivors including, but not limited to, the Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline (888.293.2080) and the YWCA (866.525.9922). For a summary of additional community resources, visit https://cares.uchicago.edu/support-and-resources/community-resources/.

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