A sexual battery against a female student was reported to Sacramento State police this week &- the fifth sex-related crime this semester.

The student was walking to her car on Nov. 15 when an unknown man touched her chest through her clothing, said Sac State police spokesman Det. Scott Christian.

The victim responded by spraying the man in the face with pepper spray, Christian said. The assailant got away, and police are investigating, Christian said.

For unknown reasons, the victim waited until Monday to report the crime to police, Christian said. It was the third sexual battery this semester, and there have been two sexual assaults.

A sexual battery would be the touching of an intimate body part through clothes,” Christian said.

Police have responded to the crimes by increasing patrols and expanding their night escort service. The department is also improving the way it sends out alert bulletins advising students of crimes, Christian said.

The first sexual battery was on Sept. 13, when an unknown Hispanic man touched a woman who was studying outside of Capistrano Hall.

On Oct. 21, a female student was kidnapped near the residence hall parking lot by three men driving a van. The men sexually assaulted her and then let her go. The incident was reported on the Oct. 22.

On Nov. 8, a woman was groped through her clothing by an unknown suspect as she walked through the library quad. Then on Nov. 15, the same day as the recently reported battery, a woman was sexually assaulted in parking structure one.

None of the incidents are related, Christian said.

Ken Paglia can be reached at [email protected]