Recently, Nicholas Craig Robertson, a student at the University of Pacific in Stockton was arrested and then released on bail after allegedly raping a woman in his fraternity house.

This alleged incident occurred on Sept. 4, but according to counselors, more women are being sexually assaulted than reported. Nonetheless, counselors are prepared to guide a student through any case.

“I’m equipped to handle the immediate. The client is scared, and it’s my job to help maneuver the process, to make sure the client gets what he or she needs,” said Jessica Heskin, who is in charge of the Women’s Resource Center’s support services for violence and sexual assaults against women at Sacramento State. “They feel that their power has been taken away from them. Whatever resource they need, I help.”

According to police reports, the number of sexual assault cases went down to two reports in 2002 from five in the previous year at UOP. At Sac State, seven cases were reported in 2002 up from one case on 2001.

“When we hear numbers like that (at UOP), it makes us happy, but we also remember that only 2 percent report rape,” said Yani Simms, Rape Prevention Education Coordinator at UOP.

“If people are more educated, they’ll be more prepared to report,” Simms said.

Part of the education process includes knowing to report a sexual assault case because it is crucial and does more than possibly send an offender to jail, but it also helps the victim deal with her fears and gives a sense of control, Simms said.

Robertson was sent back to school Sept. 3, where the alleged victim could potentially meet him face to face, although authorities have told him to stay away.

At Sac State, victims could get a restraining order within 24 hours. Accommodations will be made if the victim and the perpetrator live in the same residence halls, Heskin said.

Simms said that women need to have a safety plan put in place like having a cell phone ready and having people they trust with them at all times.

Both Sac State and UOP have counseling groups to help victims overcome their experiences.

“On our campus we have a lot of out reach, rape prevention programs,” Heskin said. “I don’t like that term. Risk-reduction is a better term because only a rapist can prevent a raping, because they are the ones that are raping.”

The Women’s Resource Center on campus also offers self-defense classes in accordance with the Student Health Center.

Heskin said that she recommends students to report a rape case, but they do not have to if they are over the age of 18. In many instances, women are very afraid and unsure what comes next.

“The fault of the crime lies on (the rapist); women need to remember that,” Heskin said. “The main thing that I want students to know is that we are here.”

This year at Sac State a new program called Men Opposing Violence Everywhere looks to be a new student organization, said Xico Gonzalez, a graduate student.

“We’ll provide a platform to try to eradicate it and bring awareness especially at this campus with fraternity parties,” Gonzalez said. “In the next couple of weeks, we’ll come to light.”

He also said that the new organization being proposed has strong support from established groups like Campus Peace Action, MEChA, Ya Baspa! and Students at Large.