UCSB Student Fights Back After Being Sexually Battered

Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff

At approximately 8:50 p.m. last night, October 7, 2017, a UCSB student was sexually battered while walking home in the 6600 block of Del Playa Drive in Isla Vista. The 22-year-old female was approaching El Embarcadero when a male suspect walked up from behind her and grabbed her crotch through her clothing. The victim reacted by turning around and punching the suspect in the face who subsequently fell to the ground. The victim responded back to her residence and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office was contacted.

Sheriff’s deputies and UCSB Police officers with the Isla Vista Foot Patrol searched the area but were not able to locate the suspect. He is described as a college-aged Caucasian male, about 6 feet tall with black hair and was wearing a black colored shirt. 

If you have any information on the identity of the suspect, his whereabouts or any information that would be helpful to investigators, you are asked to contact the Isla Vista Foot Patrol at 805-681-4179. You can also leave an anonymous tip at 805-681-4171 or go to our website at http://www.sbsheriff.org/anonymoustips.html. 

The Isla Vista Foot Patrol would like to take this opportunity to remind students to avoid walking alone at night. You can always request an escort. The UCSB CSO escort line is 805-893-2000.

Also, if you interested in taking a self-defense class, the UCSB Police Department offers a Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) program. For more information go to https://www.police.ucsb.edu/crime-prevention/rape-aggression-defense-program. Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center also offers self-defense classes. Please visit http://sbrapecrisiscenter.org/ 

Also for more information on how to help prevent sexual assaults and for risk reduction techniques view: