The University of Utah has released its 2025 Annual Security & Fire Safety reports, revealing a significant increase in reported aggravated assaults, fondling cases, and vehicle thefts on its campus over the past year. The data, which complies with federal and state law, also includes findings from a campus climate survey that highlights ongoing concerns about sexual misconduct and intimate partner violence.
Key Takeaways
- Reported aggravated assaults tripled from 7 in 2023 to 21 in 2024, with many occurring in healthcare settings.
- Fondling cases rose to 83 in 2024 from 55 the previous year.
- Motor vehicle thefts, including e-scooters and e-bikes, increased fivefold to 35 cases.
- A separate climate survey found that intimate partner violence rates on campus exceed national averages.
- University officials suggest that an increase in some reports may indicate a greater willingness among students to come forward.
Annual Crime Statistics Released
The University of Utah has published its mandated annual safety reports, providing a transparent look at crime statistics from the past three years. These reports are a requirement under the federal Clery Act and state laws, designed to inform the campus community about safety issues and available resources.
The 2024 data shows a notable rise in several crime categories compared to the previous year. This information is gathered from reports made to both campus security and local law enforcement agencies.
Sharp Increases in Assault and Theft
The most significant changes were observed in violent and property crimes. Aggravated assault reports tripled, increasing from seven incidents in 2023 to 21 in 2024. According to the report, 14 of these assaults occurred in the university's healthcare settings.
Reports of fondling also saw a substantial increase. The university recorded 83 cases in 2024, up from 55 in 2023. A majority of these incidents, 51 cases, were reported at the University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics.
Property Crime on the Rise
Motor vehicle thefts spiked from just seven in 2023 to 35 in 2024. The university clarified that this category includes modern micro-mobility devices. Of the 35 thefts, 22 involved e-bikes, e-scooters, or e-skateboards. An additional three cases involved the theft of golf carts.
Data on Sexual Assault Reports
The report detailed statistics on sexual assault, specifically rape. There were 146 reported rape cases in 2024. This number is a decrease from the 175 cases reported in 2023 but remains significantly higher than the 30 cases reported in 2022.
University officials provided context for the high numbers, noting that one student reported 110 separate instances of rape that occurred over several months within a relationship with another student. Both individuals have since graduated.
Todd Justesen, the university's Associate Director of Clery Programs & Compliance, explained the situation during a briefing.
"They did not wish to take it outside of reporting and having levels of support provided to them. They were looking more for resources than they were looking for prosecution."
This single, multi-incident case significantly impacted the total number of reported rapes for the year, as each incident is counted individually under Clery Act guidelines.
Understanding the Clery Act
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal law enacted in 1990. It requires all colleges and universities participating in federal financial aid programs to disclose information about crime on and near their campuses. The act is named for a student who was assaulted and murdered in her residence hall in 1986.
Campus Climate Survey Reveals Student Experiences
Alongside the crime statistics, the University of Utah released its 2024 Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Survey. This survey, conducted by Rankin Climate, provides deeper insight into the student body's perceptions and experiences with sexual misconduct.
The anonymous survey, which received responses from 1,966 students, assessed five areas: sexual and gender-based harassment, stalking, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and intimate image abuse.
Key Findings from the Survey
The survey results highlighted specific vulnerabilities within the student population. It found that undergraduate students identifying as non-binary or women reported the highest rates of sexual or gender-based harassment.
- 35% of non-binary undergraduate respondents reported experiencing harassment.
- 21% of female undergraduate respondents reported harassment.
- 14% of male undergraduate respondents reported harassment.
Stalking was also a significant issue, with more than a quarter of undergraduate women and non-binary students reporting they had been victims. Furthermore, the survey found that rates of intimate partner violence exceed national averages, and over 25% of non-binary participants reported experiencing it.
Despite these challenges, the analysis noted that students have a high awareness of campus policies and an improved understanding of consent. However, many remain uncertain about where to seek help or what the reporting process entails.
University Focuses on Prevention and Culture
University officials are using the data from both the crime report and the climate survey to inform their prevention and response strategies. The rise in on-campus housing is changing the university from a traditional commuter school, creating new challenges and opportunities for student safety initiatives.
Chris Linder, a professor and senior advisor on interpersonal violence prevention, suggested the increased number of reports could be a complex signal.
"When we see numbers of reports going up, that actually could be a good thing because that could mean that people are feeling comfortable coming forward and saying, ‘I need help.’"
Linder also noted that sexual violence within intimate partner relationships is often underreported. She explained that cultural perceptions often frame sexual assault as an attack by a stranger, which can prevent victims in relationships from identifying their experience as assault.
University spokesperson Rebecca Walsh emphasized the institution's ongoing commitment to fostering a safer environment. "We are building a culture of consent," she stated. "We need to help bring along that culture of consent — and understanding interpersonal violence and toxic relationships and what healthy relationships are."
The university plans to use the survey's recommendations to enhance its prevention programs, particularly for intimate partner violence, and to launch communication campaigns clarifying the pathways for reporting and seeking support.
