Prosecutor’s Office Urges Allegations of Sexual Assault at UMass Amherst Report to Authorities, Describes Criminal Investigation Process

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Northwest District Attorney David E. Sullivan stressed Wednesday that his team takes allegations of sexual assault seriously at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, urging people to report the cases to authorities after the students demonstrated in front of the Theta Chi fraternity on Sunday and Monday.

The protests were the result of allegations of sexual assault that surfaced anonymously online. The prosecutor’s office said it could neither confirm nor deny investigations into suspected criminal cases.

However, it cannot be overstated how seriously the Northwest District Prosecutor’s Office takes sexual assault allegations and how vigorously it investigates and prosecutes such cases, the office said in a statement Wednesday.

Criminal investigations into alleged sexual assaults are usually reported to local or campus police and the prosecutor works with them to collect and assess evidence.

Amherst police confirmed to MassLive that no charges were laid as of Wednesday morning.

Each survivor is assigned a specially trained victim witness lawyer from the office to guide them through the process. If the evidence gathered leads to criminal charges, the DA will prosecute, the office said on Wednesday, seeking to clarify the process.

The last thing in the world we want is for victims of sexual assault to feel like they have no safe place to go for recourse, Sullivan said. Prosecutors and Victim Witness Advocates in our office have received extensive training to help all of us better understand and respond to the unique needs of sexual assault survivors. We are deeply committed to taking a trauma-informed approach and ensuring that victims are heard throughout the process.

Victims can also report their case directly to the DA office if they feel uncomfortable reporting their case to the police. If they do present themselves to the prosecutor, they will meet with an assistant district attorney who specializes in prosecuting alleged sexual assault and / or a specially trained witness lawyer who can explain the criminal process and discuss options for the future.

We know that sometimes an important step in healing from the trauma of sexual assault is to see the alleged perpetrator held to account. We also understand that some victim-survivors are wary of authorities because they fear that they will not be believed or that their case will not be handled properly, said Deputy Northwestern District Attorney Jennifer Suhl. Our office has a track record of successfully investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases on campus. We want to assure survivors of sexual assault that we are there to support them if they choose to come forward.

The office also works with agencies with confidential resources to support survivors who may not be ready to report to law enforcement. Agencies include: the Center for Women and Community at UMass, Safe Passage in Northampton and the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition in Greenfield.

The Northwest District Attorneys Office can be contacted at 413-586-9225.

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