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UCSF Accused of Prolonging Sexual Assault Probe Long Enough for Accused to Finish Classes

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The University of California - San Francisco (UCSF) stands accused of prolonging a sexual assault investigation to allow a victim's assailant to finish his classes before being suspended.

The alleged survivor in the case spoke to the Huffington Post, but asked to only be referred to as "Vera." She told the website she did not receive a no-contact order against the male student she named as her attacker for 70 days, though she has been fully cooperative in the investigation.

Vera said she allowed a UCSF dean to access her medical records, though the entire system is facing scrutiny over its sexual assault policies. The UC system currently has four schools under federal investigation for alleged Title IX and Clery Act violations.

"I asked, 'Why is it taking so long?' I bent over backwards. I was willing to take breaks in between my rotations," Vera, a pharmacy student, told the HP. "They literally didn't do anything to him. The most they've done in this entire process is issue this no-contact order."

She reported her sexual assault to UCSF officials in late Oct. after she woke up in bed with a male student and noticed a used condom in her trash bin. Vera said she was inebriated on the night of Oct. 25, but remembered a guy making sexual advances on her despite her verbal protests.

The next morning, Vera told the HP, the male student told her they "kinda sorta had sex."

UCSF spent two months investigating before determining the student violated the school's sexual assault policy. The school took another two months to hand down a punishment, the HP learned.

"Because of applicable privacy laws, UCSF is extremely constrained in what we can comment on," Jennifer O'Brien, UCSF's assistant vice chancellor for public affairs, said in a statement to the HP, declining to comment on details of the matter. "The safety and security of all members of the UCSF community is our primary concern."

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