The UC Santa Barbara Police Department is investigating a reported rape that allegedly occurred late Saturday in campus housing.
According to UCPD, the incident was reported around midnight and is believed to have happened at approximately 11 p.m. Campus police said the suspect and victim met for the first time earlier in the evening at a party in Isla Vista.
The university sent out a warning to students following the report, prompting concern among some members of the campus community.
Student Adora Mina said she was shocked after reading the alert.
“'Rape and strangulation' on university campus, so I check the email and they release no other information on who he was,” Mina said.
Mina said she feels safe in some areas on campus, including her dorm, but is more cautious in Isla Vista.
“I feel safe in like my dorm, cause I’ve never had any issues there, because I’m always out with my friends in IV, that feels a little sketchy,” she said.
Campus officials said resources are available for students affected by the incident. CARE, which stands for Campus Advocacy Resources and Education, offers a 24-hour confidential support line for students seeking assistance.
“When these timely warnings go out about this type of violence, the alerts, though they can be important, they can be very impactful for someone that can be a survivor, so we do try to get the word out after to say if you’re feeling impacted by this situation, we are here,” said Jamie File, a senior advocate with CARE.
UCPD said the investigation remains ongoing and encouraged anyone with information related to the incident to contact police.
