St. Mary’s College of Maryland community,
You are receiving this crime warning as part of St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s commitment to providing campus related crime information, in compliance with the Federal Clery Act (Jeanne Clery disclosure of campus security policy and campus crime statistics act).
A sexual assault was reported to a SMCM staff member on September 10, 2016. The sexual assault was reported to have occurred in a campus townhouse in the early morning hours on September 10, 2016. It is believed that the offender and the victim do not know each other.
The assault was not reported to the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office and therefore is not currently under police investigation at this time.
Sexual assault is never the fault of the victim. While nothing is failsafe, here are some suggestions everyone may want to consider.
- Make sure you have consent. Consent is a clear and freely given yes, not the absence of a no.
- People who incapacitated by alcohol or drugs cannot give consent
- Practice being assertive about your boundaries,
- Trust your instincts. If you feel uneasy or sense something is wrong, call for assistance.
- Be active in supporting a safe and respectful community. If you see others engaging in disrespectful or inappropriate actions, speak up and get involved, or contact someone else to assist.
If you have been sexually assaulted tell someone, there are resources available to help you. For more information please visit https://www.smcm.edu/counseling or https://www.smcm.edu/campus-rights/.
For more information about the Clery Act and why you are receiving this federally mandated crime warning, please visit http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/campus.html.
You can contact the Office of Public Safety at x4911 or 240-895-4911 if you have any questions.