Content warning: The article contains mentions of sexual assault and rape.

On Sept. 29, the Brandeis community received an email announcing the release of the 2025 Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, which documented two reported rapes and five cases of dating violence. Since the Cornell University rape investigation has drawn national attention to how colleges respond to sexual violence and support victims, Brandeis’s latest security report provides insights into the reported sexual and relationship violence on campus and the resources available to students.

According to the report, there were two reported rapes in Brandeis student housing in 2025, compared to none in 2024. There were also two reported cases of fondling and no reported cases of incest or statutory rape. Under “Violence Against Women Act, Offenses,” Brandeis recorded no domestic violence incidents, one stalking incident on public property and five dating-violence incidents in 2025, up from one in 2024.

The statistics in the report generally reflect the number of criminal incidents reported to University Police, designated university officials and offices such as the Office of Equal Opportunity, the Dean of Students office and local law enforcement agencies. The report also outlines that “even a victim of a crime who does not want to pursue action within the University system or the criminal justice system may still want to consider making a confidential report.” While Brandeis students, staff and faculty are generally required to report crimes occurring on campus, victims of sexually based offenses may report on a “voluntary, confidential basis” for inclusion in the University’s annual crime statistics.

In the report, dating violence is defined as “violence committed by a person who is or has been in a romantic or intimate relationship with the victim.” As dating violence is not separately defined in Massachusetts state law, some incidents of dating violence may also fall under the state’s definition of domestic violence. 

The Justice asked Matthew Rushton, associate vice president of Campus Operations and chief safety officer, about the aforementioned incidents, whether some reports of sexual violence would not appear in the Annual Security Report and whether timely warnings were considered or issued. In an Oct. 5 written statement to The Justice, Rushton did not address those questions individually, citing student privacy regulations.

“The university abides by student privacy regulations and cannot share details, regarding students’ reports. Brandeis is committed to supporting its students through a variety of reporting options and support services including the Office of Equal Opportunity, where anyone on campus can make a report, and Prevention, Advocacy, and Resource Center, where students can learn about reporting options and staff provide confidential advocacy and information concerning their options,” Rushton said.

Several members of the Class of 2026 and the Class of 2027 shared their own experiences with The Justice and spoke about Brandeis’ sexual misconduct reporting process and how the experiences of people close to them shaped their perception of that process.

A current Brandeis student who shared that she was sexually assaulted during her time at Brandeis contacted The Justice to share her experience reporting the incident to OEO. “Based on my experience, I would never encourage another survivor to file with this office. This is very difficult for me to say because I really believe that healing comes in many forms and the decision whether or not to report is [an] incredibly personal one. I am so glad I chose to file a complaint … Even so I feel that Brandeis has failed me. The process has ultimately been retraumatizing. I have felt dismissed and as if Brandeis does not care about me or their students,” the student said.

A 2026 alum also shared her experience with reporting sexual misconduct to OEO. “I wanted transparency, accountability and an explanation of how the university was addressing what had happened. I wanted the university to recognize what I had been subjected to and to take my safety and well-being seriously.”

After reporting, the alum said that OEO asked whether she needed emotional support, a standard part of OEO’s procedure. She said she instead wanted “transparency about how the situation was handled and how justice was being put into place on her behalf,” but was “left feeling that what happened to [her] had not been taken seriously.”

To report an incident of sexual or relationship violence, Brandeis members can contact University Police, OEO or other designated University offices. After a formal complaint is issued, it can be addressed either through an Informal Resolution Process, which requires both parties' agreement or through an investigation. If there is an investigation, the case might proceed either through the Formal Resolution Process or Title IX Grievance Process, depending on whether the allegations meet the Title IX requirements.

In an Oct. 5 written statement to The Justice, Tracy Kennedy, interim director at OEO, said that when the office receives a report about a conduct that may be prohibited under the University’s Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Violence, OEO reaches out to the impacted individual with information about the policy and the available proccesses. They also offer supportive measures, which are “non-disciplinary, non-punitive individualized services, offered as appropriate, as reasonably available, and without fee or charge.” Some of the supportive measures can include but are not limited to academic accommodations, counseling, safety planning (including campus escort services), leaves of absence, housing changes or other measures.

Kennedy also emphasized OEO’s neutral role in reviewing and investigating reports. “The role of OEO at Brandeis, as is required by the law, is to remain neutral in that we provide support to all members of the Brandeis community and supervise the reviews of and investigations into reports. Remaining neutral means we do not provide advocacy for any party in an OEO process, rather, it means that we can and do assist all individuals in the process,” Kennedy said.

According to Chapter 4 of the Title IX Grievance Process, “due to privacy consideration, the Complainant will not be notified of the assigned sanctions, unless they are related to the Complainant (such as a No Contact Order as the sanction).” If a respondent is found responsible, sanctions “may include, but are not limited to, warnings (verbal or written), censures, training or other educational responses, final warnings, performance improvement plans, reassignment, demotions, suspensions and termination.”

Kennedy added that students can receive confidential support from a number of resources on and off campus, including the Prevention, Advocacy & Resource Center, the Brandeis Counseling Center, Brandeis Ombuds and the Office for Spiritual Life.

Kennedy also explained that not every report OEO receives is included in the annual security report. “Reports of conduct that may be prohibited under the Policy, but do not fall within the Clery Act reporting jurisdiction or definitions, are not included in the Annual Security Report,” she said.

PARC provides confidential support to students affected by “sexual violence, relationship violence, sexual harassment or stalking at any point in their lives.” PARC also supports students affected by experiences that occurred before they came to Brandeis or students who are worried about a friend who has been affected. 

“A majority of students who engage with PARC's confidential advocacy services are doing so for emotional support rather than support for navigating the reporting process,” Kate Richey, director of PARC, said in an Oct. 3 written statement to The Justice. Richey added that PARC supports students by helping them understand their options and rights. “Choosing whether or not to make a report is a personal and individual choice,” she said. 

Richey also shared that students may decide not to report because of the logistical and emotional burden, fear of retaliation or not being believed, a desire to focus on healing or because they need more time to decide what they want. For students who choose to report to Brandeis Police or OEO, PARC can provide emotional support throughout the process. Students who do not wish to report can also receive confidential emotional support and help accessing additional resources on and off campus, such as the Brandeis Counseling Center, REACH Beyond Domestic Violence or the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.