The University of California Police Department is looking into a daytime rape reported to have occurred inside Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley in late August.

UCPD put out a brief statement about the incident Friday.

According to the UCPD crime log, a woman told police a man raped her at noon Aug. 30 and forced her to perform oral sex. The woman also said she was sodomized and held against her will.

The case was only reported to UCPD on Tuesday, according to the crime log. The man was identified as a UC Berkeley employee. UCPD said in Friday’s statement that the woman is not affiliated with UC Berkeley, but that she and the man know each other.

“The suspect has been identified and the case is under investigation,” according to police.

UCPD asks anyone with information to call the department at 510-642-6760.

UCPD provided the following safety tips and context:

  • Rape and sexual assault are never the fault of the survivor. It is the behavior of the perpetrator that is wrong.
  • 80% of sexual assault and rapes are perpetrated by someone known to the survivor, and on college campuses 90% of survivors know their attacker.
  • Always seek consent. Don’t assume you know what the other person wants. Stop your sexual advances if the other person indicates no interest or if they say “no.” Engaging in any type of sexual activity without the explicit consent of your partner is sexual assault. If either party is under the influence of alcohol, consent cannot be given.
  • If you have been the victim of a violent crime the following resources are available:
  • Sexual assault is a felony in the state of California. Sentencing can include up to 10 years in prison, fines, registration as a sex offender and expulsion from the university.

Emilie Raguso (former senior editor, news) joined Berkeleyside in 2012 and covered politics, public safety and development until her departure in 2022. In 2017, Emilie was named Journalist...