University of Arizona sorority member alleges two men sexually assaulted her at fraternity house

A sorority member at the University of Arizona in Tucson alleges she was sexually assaulted by two men at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house on 26 August, during a night of drinking. The claim appears in search warrant records that Tucson television station KOLD-TV published on Monday evening. Fraternities and sororities are US student social organisations whose members often live and gather in dedicated houses.

The student told university police she had consensually kissed one of the men at one point but does not remember agreeing to sex. She recalled drinking tequila, seeing two men sexually assault her and feeling one man's breath on her face. The next morning she woke without pants or underwear and noticed difficulty swallowing, which can be a sign of strangulation. Later that day she reported the allegations to police and underwent a forensic exam at a hospital.

In a recorded call two days after the encounter, one of the men acknowledged having sex with her but said she had agreed. He denied that a second man had sex with her, said he had been drunk and "fuzzy" about events, and said people had filmed him and the student kissing in a bathroom.

Investigation and fraternity response

University police said the investigation is ongoing and declined to say whether anyone had been arrested. The Pima County attorney's office said the case had not been referred to it for prosecution. Sigma Phi Epsilon's national organisation said those involved had been suspended and that any member found responsible would be expelled. Chief executive Brian Warren said the group would cooperate fully with law enforcement and would not tolerate retaliation against the alleged victim or witnesses.

The university had already placed the chapter on probation from July until next May after a hazing complaint. Two weeks before the allegations surfaced, it had suspended activities for all 21 of its fraternities amid reports of misconduct including assault, hazing and drug and alcohol behaviour. Suspensions have since been lifted for all but five after meetings with the dean of students; Sigma Phi Epsilon is not among those five.

Other cases in the US

Other alleged fraternity assaults have drawn attention recently. At Cornell University, a former student alleges several Chi Phi members assaulted her in October 2024, prompting protests and a state investigation. At the University of Chicago, a woman has sued Alpha Delta Phi, alleging she was raped in February by a member.