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BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Hundreds of students at the University of Colorado Boulder marched through campus Friday protesting the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity following multiple sexual assault allegations.

“I’m tired of not feeling safe,” said Taylor Newmen, a CU Boulder freshman.

The students, chanting and carrying signs against rape culture, started at the Fiske Planetarium and walked over half a mile to the Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) house on the corner of 12th Street and Euclid Avenue.

Students were met with the Pike house completely blocked off by a chain-link fence and no trespassing signs.

Neighbors in the area told FOX31 and Channel 2 the fraternity put the fence up the night before the protest.

Several Boulder police officers also monitored the protest on side streets around the fraternity.

Boulder Police stated earlier this week they had two reports of women being sexually assaulted at a fraternity house in the 1000th block of 12th Street, but they wouldn’t confirm which house it was. Students want that information to be public they stated for safety reasons.

“At CU Boulder, to go to a frat party you have to show up with a certain number of girls to get in. I’m sick of being used as a currency or token,” Newmen said.

Students also stated the university should make the information public.

IFC on the Hill issues statement

The Independent Interfraternity Council in Boulder, known as the IFC on the Hill, is the governing council for its 21 member fraternities. They didn’t address the exact allegations but issued this statement:

The IFC on The Hill is committed to the concept that Fraternities are values-based organizations whose members have responsibilities to be gentlemen. The IFC on The Hill understands the gravity of sexual assault and its impact on its survivors. We have been working for months to implement sexual assault and harassment education with the help of women across the Hill.

The IFC on The Hill has and will continue to cooperate with University of Colorado and Boulder Police investigations. We deplore inappropriate sexual conduct and when presented with evidence of such conduct we take action with a member chapter within the context of our Constitution and Bylaws. The IFC on The Hill is also committed to ensuring our member chapters are capable of holding its individual members accountable for their actions.

We encourage anyone with information regarding incidents of sexual assault to contact the University of Colorado’s OIEC at (303) 492-2127 or Boulder Police Department’s Dispatch at (303) 441-3333. We also encourage University community members seeking confidential support to contact the Office of Victim Assistance at (303) 492-8855.

Independent Interfraternity Council in Boulder

CU Boulder issues statement

The university sent a letter to students on Thursday in response to the allegations.

On Friday, they sent this statement to FOX31:

We are aware of recent allegations of sexual assault off-campus. In most cases, we cannot publicly share the details of specific cases due to privacy laws.

Sexual assault has devastating impacts on victims and survivors and our campus community as a whole. CU Boulder is deeply committed to continuously improving our prevention and education efforts and ensuring that our response resources meet the needs of our campus community.  CU has dedicated resources for confidential support and advocacy, safety measures, and investigative response regardless of whether incidents occur on or off campus.

All allegations of sexual misconduct are reported to the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC). Anyone who would like to share information or discuss addressing such conduct can contact OIEC at 303-492-2127 or cureport@colorado.edu. We also ask anyone with information on a crime to report it to the police. University community members seeking free and confidential support, trauma informed counseling, and victim advocacy can also reach out to our Office of Victim Assistance at 303-492-8855 or assist@colorado.edu.

University of Colorado Boulder

Sex assault confidential hotline

“In Boulder County the sexual assault rates have been through the roof recently,” said Dr. Janine D’Anniballe, with Moving to End Sexual Assault.

D’Anniballe said she wants victims of sexual abuse to feel comfortable to call their 24-hour confidential hotline at 303-443-7300.

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