On Sept. 3 at approximately 11:30 a.m., an incident of assault was reported to have occurred at the Graduate House residence at the University of Saskatchewan. 

Both the alleged assailant and the victim are said to have known each other prior to the incident, as detailed in an email to students from the university. 

Though initially outlined as a sexual assault, Saskatoon police have since begun investigating it as an assault only. 

“Once our personal violence investigators were able to look at it, they could see it should be investigated as an assault, as opposed to a sexual assault,” said Saskatoon police spokesperson Alyson Edwards in an interview to the StarPhoenix.

The investigation is ongoing, and students with any information are urged to contact the Saskatoon Police Service at 306-975-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.  

Given the incident, U of S Protective Services is reminding students to be safe on campus, and offered the following tips: 

• Use a buddy system and ensure someone knows where you are, how long you plan to be there and when you leave.

• Discuss your plans in advance with a supervisor and follow any established local procedures.

•Keep doors locked when working alone.

• On the Saskatoon campus, call Safewalk at 306-966-SAFE(7233) for an escort to your vehicle or residence on campus.

Suspicious activity can be reported to Protective Services at 306-966-5555. 9-1-1 is available for emergencies.