ALLENDALE, Mich. - Two separate sexual assaults in two days near Grand Valley State University have some people on edge, as classes got started Monday.
Both incidents took place in off campus locations, but are areas where many students live. Both victims were female Grand Valley students.
"A lot of kids that attend the university do live in those particular areas," said Capt. Mark Bennett of the Ottawa County Sheriff'ss Department. "They're heavily populated. Now, with school back in session, you can imaging over the last week there's been quite an influx in population there, and that's common for this time of year."
As officials sift through evidence, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department says they are increasing their patrols, but that students should be more aware of their surroundings as well.
Patti Haist, Director of Crisis Intervention Services at the YWCA, says that while people often think sexual assaults happen with strangers, most campus assaults are committed by someone that knows the victim.
"A lot of times people believe that it's the stranger situation when really, most campus assaults are committed by someone that knows the victim," said Haist.
"It's not your fault, no matter what happens in any situation. The fault belongs to the person who committed the crime."
The YWCA can provide countless resources to victims of sexual assault, even if they choose to leave the incident unreported. For more information, visit the YWCA website.
