A 19-year-old woman reported that she was the victim of sexual imposition this weekend near the intersection of Mill and Stewart streets, the city’s fourth reported sexual offense in about two weeks.
The incident took place at 10:20 p.m. Friday, and the woman described the two suspects as white males, about 5 feet 10 inches in height, skinny, and wearing light-colored pants and jackets.
“Essentially it’s sexual contact with an individual — against their will, obviously,” Athens Police Lt. Ralph Harvey said, adding that it can often include groping of sexual organs.
The woman told police she escaped by striking one of the suspects in the crotch with her knee. That male then fled the scene along with another male, who police presume could be an accomplice. She was not seriously injured.
Athens Police officers are still investigating but were unable to find any suspects near the scene. Harvey said he hopes witnesses will call the department with more information.
“Right now, we have a basic description that describes a lot of people,” he said.
This is the fourth sexual offense reported to local police in two weeks.
On Friday, April 15, a woman reported being sexually assaulted at 10 p.m. by two black males in her Riverpark Towers apartment.
Another woman reported a sexual assault a few hours later, between the hours of midnight and 1 a.m., during a party at Phi Kappa Tau fraternity house, 50 E. State St.
At 4 a.m. that Saturday, a woman reported being held at knifepoint in the Christ the King Church parking lot, 75 Stewart St. She reported to police that the suspect pulled out a large knife and told her to walk to a small outbuilding before raping her.
That suspect is described as a black male between the ages of 19 to 24. She reported he was about 6 feet to 6 feet 4 inches tall and wearing dark pants and a sweatshirt.
To deal with this increase in reports, in addition to large numbers of petty thefts and vandalism, Harvey said Athens Police has increased its usage of uniformed officers patrolling in unmarked vehicles.
“We’ve been putting out extra officers on weekends for numerous reasons, this being one of them,” Harvey said.
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