Harrington/Love Murders AT UVA: Sorority Rape Misses Radar To Alert Students
Charlottesville, VA- Sallie Hamilton, the original owner of the Hamilton House on Chancellor Ave., was ahead of her time when she chose Charlottesville to build her boarding house.
Recently divorced and the mother of two young sons, she was one of five single women from 1900 to 1910 to build and operate boarding houses to accommodate students of the University of Virginia as a means of income and support for her family.
The Chancellor Street address abutted the newly established and exclusive Fraternity Row on Madison Lane and was directly across from the central grounds. The Delta Zeta Sorority purchased it in 1979.
In the early morning hours of September 17th, 2010, it was also the scene of the latest rape of a UVA student and DZ sorority sister.
September 17th, 2010 also happens to have been the first full day of a 10 day memorial to Yeardley Love, the lacrosse player who was brutally murdered in May.
The columns of the Rotunda were draped in black just hours before the vicious rape and assault in the backyard of the sorority house, an assault that the young woman has very little memory of.
Coincidentally, Yeardley Love was a sister at Kappa Alpha Theta, whose sorority, Saunders House, resides at 127 Chancellor Street.
A “stones throw away” you might say.
Eleven days earlier, a meeting between the parents of Virginia Tech Junior Morgan Harrington and UVA President Teresa Sullivan regarding safety on campus, was productive.
Morgan disappeared from the grounds of John Paul Jones Arena last October and was later found murdered in January after months of searching for her. According to her mother Gil, Morgan was also raped and beaten.
Blinkoncrime.com was alerted to the attack at DZ House by concerned parents of UVA students when they did not receive an email alert from either UVA PD or Charlottesville PD as they have in the past, after they were informed of the incident directly.
For several hours following the attack, police actually detained associates of the sororities within the property at the time of the incident,as well as those arriving home while Charlottesville Police were conducting interviews.
After a previous sexual assault on July 19th, 2010, students, faculty, and parents received this email within 24 hours of the attack:
To members of the University community:
The Charlottesville Police Department responded to a report of a sexual assault that occurred on Roosevelt Brown Blvd at 11:30 p.m. on Monday July 19, 2010.
The victim, a University of Virginia student, reported being approached from behind and was pushed into some bushes along the sidewalk as she was walking on Roosevelt Brown Blvd. After a brief struggle, the assailant fled on foot in the direction of West Main Street.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his early thirties. He is approximately five foot seven inches tall and weighs approximately 150 to 160 pounds.
Anyone having information related to this incident should call the Charlottesville Police at 434-970-3280 or Crime Stoppers at 434-977-4000.
Please use all of the resources that are provided to you as a member of the University community. If you are interested in learning more about what resources are available, including safety seminars and self-defense classes, visit our Resources web site.
A few key things to remember:
- Trust your instincts about a person or situation. If you feel uncomfortable, immediately report your concerns to police by calling 911.
- If you find yourself in a similar situation, turn over material belongings to the suspect and focus on his or her physical characteristics, i.e. clothing description, height and weight and last known direction of travel.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Do not let a cell phone conversation or listening to music distract you when walking or in a situation that calls for your full attention.
- Avoid isolated areas when walking alone at night. Use SafeRide (434-242-1122), walk with friends, or take the late-night weekend bus.
- Report suspicious activity or people immediately by calling 911.
The University of Virginia Police Department would like to remind you of several resources that are available if you believe you, or a friend, has been a victim of sexual assault. Sources of support available include the Office of the Dean of Students, the Women’s Center, Counseling and Psychological Services in Student Health, Charlottesville’s Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA), and the Victim and Witness Assistance Programs for the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Students wishing to pursue disciplinary action through the University can do so through the University’s Sexual Assault Board. For more information about the Sexual Assault Board, contact the Office of Dean of Students or by phone at 434-924-7133. Students are eligible to receive support through any of these channels regardless of whether they elect to pursue criminal, civil, or administrative remedies through the University.
Michael Gibson Chief of Police
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sandridge approved distribution of this message.
Apparently, the concern for safety is shared after 2 shooting incidents occurred in the vicinity this past weekend, as addressed by Lt. Melisa Fielding, UVA PD:
“Safety is really a shared responsibility,” said Lt. Melisa Fielding of the UVA Police Department. ”You can’t put enough police out there to prevent all incidents.”
UVA police say that means getting the entire corner community on deck with keeping the nightlife area safe.
“Over the last year there have been enough incidents in this area to make one question how safe the community is,” Fielding stated.
On September 24, UVA held a Day of Dialogue: Toward a Caring Community.
The University’s new president, Teresa Sullivan, says this is a day of healing and of frank discussions about ways to prevent violence.
Frankly, I would like to discuss how after 3 known attacks, one resulting in a sexual assault after two attempts in the same evening in July, a rape and beating occurring at a UVA sorority is not worthy of an alert to students, faculty or parents?
One would think the start of preventing of such violence would be acknowledgment it exists, even when it happens “on grounds”.
Blinkoncrime.com was able to reach Carol Wood this evening, Office of Public Affairs UVA, while traveling for business:
..” I am out of town on business and have not heard of such incident but will look into it..”
Madeline Tanner, copy editor and contributing editor to this report.
Elizabeth Morton, contributing editor to this report.
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in addition: and I don’t know the economic breakdown but I would be willing to bet that the high number of minorities graduating from UVA are also from the upper classes and/or left high school with some of the highest GPAs in their privileged private and public high schools. I know many high achieving, upper middle class minority students, from several Northern Virginia public schools, that graduated in four years from UVA.
The high achievers, accepted straight out of high school, probably account for the high number of minority graduates. They would probably have graduated in four years from any school that they chose to go to.
Well, at least somebody seems to be working!
http://www.nbc29.com/story/13292986/illegal-immigrant-sex-offenders-arrested-in-va-dc
Redly
I am sorry that you think it was dumb for the dean to post on this site. I for one do not. Do you think that all of our posters are out to get the administration of UVA? We are here to help solve the problems that have occured over a very long period of time.
The Clery Act is not difficult to read and understand. I researched the law and its recent revisions. There should be no confusion as to what its intent and wording states.
The deans comments were in my opinion a BS piece designed to baffel some people into thinking they were terribly concerned and were about to do something about the problem. Most of those who post here have a very good truth meter that goes off loudly when something is not right.
Maybe you have a problem when people are confronted with the truth or an idea that you do not agree with. If that is the case, then I urge you to have patience and wait for clarification. Writing is not the same as a face to face conversation and it is sometimes hard to convey absolute meanings.
We are dealing in an area of young people some of whom are barely 18 and some who are by legal standards adults. But, I can tell you college is not the same as the real world. We are talking about preventing crime by proper reporting and using good behavior and knowledge to provide a safe environment.
I am wondering if any of you are interested in looking at maps of body placement in comparison to AF,Blandemar, Red Hill. Maybe we can find ties between HH security and Blandemar Farm Estastes. Blink, do you think perp(s) drove from AF or Blandemar side. Thanks.
UVA admin. where are the hero’s for these students who have been robbed, assaulted, raped and murdered on or “off”campus.
Openly and with loud clarity let the student body know of the dire and criminal consequences of student on student crime.Make it known that those students that are aware of such crime and fail to report that they also may face same.And make it loud and clear keep the pressure on.FOLLOW THROUGH.Reporting standards should hold the same consequences for THE FACULTY.
As well,make it a campus campaign to ENCOURAGE reporting so students will think twice before acting criminally against another student,hopefully.Campaign hard for the safety of your students,as in hitting hard the issues of personal safety..walking alone etc.Background check your faculty….KNOW WHO IS WEARING A SECURITY UNIFORM ON YOUR CAMPUS!Take the HARD LINE AND TAKE IT NOW!You will not only win over parents weighing over sending their kid to UVA,but your are more likely to have preventative measures in place in order to identify a student with criminal behavior early on.Faculty and students…report report report.
Assure the parents of your students that you recognize the problem and you will do everything humanly possible to fix it. You will roll up your sleeves and dig into this mess for the sake of their children and the school.
CLEAN UP YOUR GREEK SYSTEM!Before anyone comes down on me for this ,we are a long line of SAE,PI PHI,FIJIs and on and on and on.Your athletic frats and other greeks there are NOT adhereing to the “HONOR CODES” that are supposed to be in place by the school and in their house.This is an UNDERSTATEMENT!Sisters…look out for one another.Brothers hold each other to a higher standard.
Please tell me WHY I have not read of the severe punishment that should have been dealt out to the frat house of Yeardly Loves KILLER!
There were young men in that house on that team that KNEW what her KILLER was doing to her and some of his own team mates.The coach of his lacrosse team knew of the violent behavior of the killer.If I were Miss Loves parents,well you finish the sentence.
Admin,be a source of reassurance to the Harringtons the Loves and any other victim/student of your school .Cooperate fully with the investigations absolutely stand on the side of the children and parents WHO HAVE BEEN WRONGED.Let the offenders fend for themselves.When a student commits a violent crime on or off campus and it is validated as such,your institution should distance itself immediately from the offender.Admin,you are there for your LAW ABIDDING students and parents.
Please don’t tell me how difficult all this is…alot can get the ball rolling with a phone call and some things will take time,I get it.Rudy G. probably made a lot of mistakes,but he cleaned up areas of New York that should have been safe to begin with, but weren’t because of inaction.It most certainly can be done.I well imagine you are trying to do so.Let your parents and students know that while you cannot control the outside world ,you do have control of your campus.Keep your school couselors doors open and have there be a mandatory reporting system.
By all means GET RID of your BAD APPLES at your school.I don’t care how well they play your athletics or how much their parents donate. They are bringing SHAME to your institution.REPLACE THEM.
Admin, please prepare your young ladies for the college experience.Its a different world and not in favor of our girls,not at all.My girl will be leaving for college in a year and a half.There is an air of disrespect for our young women that spills onto the college campus. This is a complex problem .One that can’t be solved here.Educate them on the very real dangers of drinking and drug use in a college setting.There are real perils there.There is a tendency for young women to think they are safe to over indulge because they are on a college campus.Please alert them otherwise.Show them the statistics of campus crime.
I have 4 young men who are or have been in college for 10 years altogether.Overseas,eastcoast to west, state college and private and I feel Ive got a pretty clear picture of “how it is”so to speak on college life.As well as an empty wallet.
College can be an incredible experience as well as an excellent education. For it to be so for the student,it begins at home.It is then partnered with the school as well as students holding each other accountable.Again I say REPORT.
This letter could be forwarded to every campus in the country. These problems are certainly not exclusive to UVA. UVA is an incredibly FINE institution of higher learning and there isn’t a college in the country that couldn’t benefit from an upgrade in reporting and altogether high expectations of behavior of its student body.We as parents must assist our colleges in turning out the best student/person possible to go into the college campus.
I understand out to the general public, colleges want to put their best foot forward,so in light of UVAs stuggles why not put your best foot foward… DOWN HARD.On campus crime and gross under reporting.Lead the way UVA. I appreciate the time here at this forum.Best Regards to You all,R
Radiogirl
Good post.
Maybe someone in Virginia will step forward, as did Rudy in New York city, and do the RIGHT thing for all the Virginia colleges and universities.
The Governor and the Attorney General need to get involved as well as the state legislature.
I can tell you that if I had been the president of UVA there would have been a coach and team members sanctioned long before the attack that killed Yeardley Love and the Frat boys would have been shut down as well. Unfortunately we are discovering that for twenty years, UVA was headed by a person that was afraid of doing the right thing because it might not be Politically Correct. It is time to make some major changes.
Thank You Texas Grandfather….I’m in Texas too.A tip of the hat to you sir.
“I can tell you that if I had been the president of UVA there would have been a coach and team members sanctioned long before the attack that killed Yeardley Love and the Frat boys would have been shut down as well.”
The (alleged) murder wasn’t in a fraternity, so would any one fraternity be shut down, much less all of them?
Pesky thing, that First Amendment.
Now only if UVa were a private institution, then you might have your dictatorial way in the short run.
rvrb
You are obviously vey young and inexperienced. There are many things that we know about the activities of Frat boys regarding abusing of alcohol and other drugs. They more than likley were aware of the problem with Yeardley and Hugley as well as other activities that did not meet the standards of good behavior. Yes, there are things that a university president can do to put a stop to this activity without stepping on anyones “rights”. A top notch administrator would be quite aware of any bad behavior and take steps to correct it.
The murder took place in an off-campus apartment, but the fraternity brothers knew what Hugley intended to do and they did nothing to stop it. My generation had more respect for women and each other than I currently see. This means that we need to take some large corrective steps at all our schools to restore sanity.
Do not mess with my ATG-
He is right. I have been fortunate in my upbringing to have a Daddy, Poppa, Uncles and family members who were raised as gentlemen. Blink Jr, while it gets increasingly difficult given the external influences, is raised as a young gentleman.
Blinkette, I am afraid, my just upset the apple cart, lol.
Embrace the right kind of influences in one’s life, that is my advice.
B
B
While you may think it to be dictatorial, the job of a real leader is to see that things do not get out of whack when they are in charge.
Texas Grandfather,
If only I were very young and inexperienced. But instead I’m half-way between cradle and grave, have kids, lived and worked in various places, etc. If you troll through the various stories here on BOC about Love and Harrington, you’ll also see that I’m local to this area and concerned about violence against women.
A quick fact, as I understand it:
George Huguely never was in a fraternity. Hence he had none of the fraternity brothers you mention as guilty bystanders.
A quick observation:
Many UVa fraternity members do everything they can to make sure female guest (be they friends, party attendees, or even strangers) get home safely. There’s a lot of current conversation at UVa about how to expand and formalize this longstanding tradition (which is at least as old as the 1950s).
Now I’ll call you on your bluff: what sorts of lawful things would you do as UVa president to “shut down” the “frat boys”?
By your logic, if I’m understanding it, the City of Houston should be able to shut down the Jaycees because some frequent guest over at the Lions killed his girlfriend at a third location? What sort of rootin’ tootin’ logic makes that acceptable in America?
Thanks for the comments Blink
I hope Blinkette is not in any real trouble. Give her a big hug and tell her to behave better next time.
rvrb
I believe we have evidence to the contrary about Hugeley indicating that he was a member of a fraternity in an E-mail from one of the members.
The university has every right to close a fraternity temporarily or permanently for behavior that does not meet standards. It has been done many times at schools across the country. Every fraternity operates at a college or university by permission of the school and is considered to be under their supervision.
Since the Jaycees and the Lions clubs are two different organizations, and adult ones at that, the City of Houston has zero jurisdiction over their behavior unless they could prove something criminal was going on. So this comparison is not the same as a fraternity and a school.
Texas,
Huguely was not (NOT!) a fraternity member.
The University of Virginia does not (NOT!) have the power to “close a fraternity temporarily or permanently” unless the fraternity uses UVa property. Some do, others don’t. Just that it’s been done elsewhere in different circumstances doesn’t mean that it can be done lawfully at UVa. There are significant legal differences between the powers of administrators at private vs. public universities.
Your rebuttal on the Jaycees is full of holes, because different fraternities at UVa “different organizations” just as the civic groups are. SImilarly cities don’t need anything “criminal” activity to prompt action, because there’s zoning, permitting, and so on.
I doubt that you’re willing to admit you’ve ever been wrong, so I’ll leave it here as a discussion not worth pursuing.