By JENNIFER TODD | Staff WriterOfficials said a report of a rape late Saturday on the Millersville University campus was false.
The purported victim, a 21-year-old MU student, admitted to police and counselors Sunday afternoon that she was not sexually assaulted Saturday night as she reported, university police Chief Pete Anders said during a press conference Sunday at Gordinier Hall.
Anders said he believed the woman was “working through some things both psychologically and emotionally which may have caused her to make the report (Saturday) night.’’
He said the woman will not be charged with filing a false report.
“Our focus is towards support and care for her,’’ he added.
Anders said although he’s confident a rape didn’t occur Saturday night, he said officials believe the woman may have been victimized in the past.
“I believe that our student, at some point — and it may be in the past month, it may be in the past months — may have been harmed by some sort of intimate partner violence. It may have been an assault as described, it may have been something else.’’
Anders said authorities and victim advocacy counselors will continue to work with the student to determine if such an assault took place.
The woman admitted to the false report while talking with investigators and counselors Sunday before a 4:30 p.m. press conference during which police and college officials planned to discuss the rape report and campus security measures.
Janet Kacskos, MU director of communications, said she found out the report was false minutes before the start of the press conference.
The woman initially told police she was walking from the Francine G. McNairy Library and Learning Forum, Ganser Hall, toward the pond when she was approached by two males who made comments to her, then approached her from behind and physically and sexually assaulted her.
The woman said the assailants fled on foot. She headed toward her home and called 911, according to police.
The woman’s report had prompted the response of additional police officers to patrol the campus.
College officials sent an emergency alert via text and email to the campus community just after 12:35 a.m. that a rape had occurred near the pond.
A follow-up alert with additional information went out at 1:14 a.m.
Anders said the woman was taken to the hospital, but he declined to comment on her treatment. He said the woman’s parents were with her Sunday.
