Letter about alleged sexual assault sparks investigation at Napa college

Napa Valley College, a community college in the northern Bay Area, is investigating an alleged sexual assault that occurred in campus housing, reports said. 

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The investigation was prompted by a letter that circulated on campus and social media on Sept. 30, which included details of the allegations, the Press Democrat reported. In a video statement, Gayle Pitman, superintendent of the college, acknowledged the letter, adding that the campus police department and Title IX officials launched the investigation immediately after hearing about it.

“Napa Valley College does not tolerate or condone sexual violence in any form,” Pitman said. 

According to a campuswide email sent on Oct. 2 and reviewed by the Press Democrat, Pitman said school officials were able to identity the student who wrote the letter. Napa Valley College did not release additional details about the letter or respond to SFGATE’s request for information before the time of publication.

The college also hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday in response to the alleged assault. More than 100 people showed up to the meeting at the college’s boardroom, according to the Napa Valley Register. Napa Valley College students at the meeting told the news outlet that they believe the recent national coverage of a Cornell University student’s alleged sexual assault by seven other students in one night has prompted students across the country to report assaults.

In her video statement, Pitman also pointed to the national discussion about sexual assault on college campuses. 

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“This letter is part of a much larger conversation about sexual violence on a national scope,” she said. 

An Oct. 6 news release from RAINN, an anti-sexual violence nonprofit that operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, also stated that there has been a massive increase in calls after the Cornell case was reported last month.

The organization said that over the last week, calls to the hotline have increased by 73%.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673 in the U.S.