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Rape at Cal Poly fraternity

May 11, 2011

By LISA RIZZO

San Luis Obispo  Police sent out an alert today advising students of a reported rape of a college-aged woman who police say was intoxicated and unconscious at the time of the assault.

The San Luis Obispo Police Department and the Cal Poly University Police Department confirm the sexual assault was reported following a party at Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity Saturday night where the suspect and the victim were in attendance. The fraternity was hosting a social function at its 280 California Boulevard location.

Police say their suspect is a college-aged male. They are seeking any information from those who can assist in their investigation.


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I thought the simple rule these days is if you have doubts about how sober someone is, or they haven’t given you clear consent, don’t have sex with them. It’s that simple. Don’t complain if you get charged with rape if you have sex with a drunk person and assume they wanted to just because they didn’t say no and fight you off. It is never ok to take advantage of someone in an altered state of mind.


The attitude of some posters saying “Well, if you are a woman and you get blackout drunk at a frat party, you shouldn’t be surprised if you get raped.” is absolutely ridiculous.


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I would say there is no “simple” rule. Where they both drunk (yup) and did they both think it was a good idea to get together for a little romp, and now he is guilty because he might remember and she doesn’t?

The problem with this is that we don’t know all the facts and I have seen this sort of thing happen before right in my home town back east. A female student entered a guy’s dorm room (who she knew) during the early morning hours and climbed into bed with him. He was asleep and woke up to what he thought was a welcome surprise and promptly obliged her. The next day upon meeting her on campus, he expressed his appreciation! It turned out that she had been disgustingly drunk and in a black out and had no memory of what she had done until her encounter with him the next day when he thanked her. She then accused him of rape. Is that right? I’m not saying that is the case here, I’m saying that with the little information we have, don’t judge too fast.


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Sorry, my second sentence should start with Were, not Where, oh how I hate not having access to an edit button.


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The media at its best reporting … “a reported rape of a college-aged woman police say was intoxicated and unconscious at the time of the assault.” A rape is a rape … the victim’s state of being doesn’t matter. If I’m having surgery and being anesthetized, does anyone have the right to violate/rape me? No. If I’m unconscious for any reason, does anyone have the right to violate/rape me? No!


And why is the media reporting “an alleged” rape? When do you ever read or hear “an alleged robbery” or “an alleged murder?”


Society and the media continue to victimize women.


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GrayGranny, Was she unconscious or was she so drunk that she was functioning in a blackout? I have met people who function quite well once they build up a tolerance to alcohol, they don’t slur their speech, don’t stagger and don’t get sick and vomit. What they do is act like jerks and then wake up with a hangover and no memory of what they did the night before.

The question is was she passed out and violated or was she acting drunk but aware of her actions while in a black out which is something that her date (if he was a date) could not possibly have known? For the time being, I’ll reserve my judgment until more facts come out and witnesses come forward.


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i have to agree with you cindy!


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Again, blaming the victim doesn’t work for me. We all need to be responsible for our actions through our good sense and judgement. If I see someone sprawled across a park bench (asleep, drunk, whatever), I have no right to take advantage of this person. If I am at a party and see someone indulging until intoxicated, I have no right to take advantage of this person. I believe alcohol was the decision maker in this situation thus we still have lots of lessons to teach.


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While I can understand this is an emotional issue for many, when people use the word “alleged” it is simply because we all have the luxury of “Innocence until proven guilty” – i.e. nobody has been caught or convicted of rape.


We cannot say “so-and-so was raped and we caught the guy who might have done it.” That sort of puts the onus of guilt on the caught guy, before a trial, no?


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Have you ever heard or read “an alleged robbery” or “an alleged murder” or “an alleged carjacking?” Crimes against women are normally down-played and that is bothersome.


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I hear them all the time! While I can appreciate you wanting to be on a soapbox for women (it’s a safe enough cause), please do not assume crimes against women are “normally downplayed” – I really doubt that. You might believe it, but it doesn’t mean it’s true, right?


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As much as rape is a horrible, violent crime, maybe the police should also put out an alert about being “intoxicated and unconscious” at college parties?


I suppose in this drinking-friendly town (count our bars) this type of stuff (drinking & passing out) is bound to happen; coupled with our society’s lack of morals and multi-generational degeneration (how’s that for a slogan!) we should start to become numb to this horrible behavior.


Let’s just hope someone was sober enough, and with enough of a good conscious left, to throw a tip to the police. Anonymously, of course, we wouldn’t want the tipster to be branded as “uncool” (see moral soapbox spiel above).


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1. “Blaming the victim” is never appropriate. The blame lies squarely on the loser male who apparently cannot find a willing sexual partner so must prey on unconscious females.


2. The article does not specify the chemical that rendered the victim “intoxicated.” Rohypnol (“date-rape drug”) is still available. She may have unwittingly drank something containing Rohypnol.


3. Regardless of the method of intoxicated, it is never, ever acceptable to rape someone, intoxicated or not.


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1. No one blamed the victim.


2. Intoxicated does not mean drugged. If she was drugged, I highly doubt they would report it as intoxicated. “Drugged” would likely be the adjective used.


3. Nowhere in the story or the replies does anyone ever claim rape is acceptable.


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Oh brother…get off your soapbox, Mary. Remember the Duke lacrosse players? Remember the FALSE allegations made against them and how their college lives were screwed by a LYING woman? Hopefully some witnesses will come forward and more facts will come out.


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