The UC Santa Barbara Police Department received a report of sexual violence that occurred in campus housing early Wednesday morning, according to an alert system posted by the university.
The alert system notified students that a report of “rape and strangulation” was made to police at around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning. The suspect and survivor met through Grindr, a popular same-sex dating app, and were otherwise not known to each other, noted the alert.
The location of the crime was not released by the university, though the alert noted that the act of violence occurred on campus-owned property. UCPD is currently investigating the crime.
“It is important to be mindful and cautious about how these social tools can be used to perpetrate violence and abuse,” the alert stated in reference to dating apps. The UCSB Police Department’s CSO Safety Escort Program is a free service provided as a safe alternative to walking alone at night.
If you have information that might assist in the investigation, please contact the UCSB Police Department at (805) 893-3446 or report crime information anonymously at police.ucsb.edu/report-crime.
