Four Timely Warnings Reported This Semester

By Annie Renz

The Campus Police Department has received four reports of sexual assault since the start of the fall 2026 semester. 

Capt. William A. Karalis said the term "sexual assault" refers to both non-consensual sexual contact and non-consensual sexual intercourse. 

The incidents reported this semester were alleged to have occurred on Sunday, Sept. 13 at approximately 2 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 4 at approximately 1 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20 at approximately 10 a.m. and Thursday, Oct. 29 at approximately 11 p.m.

Timely Warning messages written by Karalis and sent to students and faculty via email from the Office of Communications and Media Relations stated that campus police received a report of sexual assault and that community members should review Stonehill's sexual misconduct resources on the campus police website. 

Karalis said a warning is considered "timely" if it's shared soon after the College learns about the incident, which is typically within seven days.

The Timely Warning message for the report on Oct. 20 alleges the incident happened in O'Hara Hall. The message from the Oct. 29 report alleges the incident happened at the SpoCo and Chapel of Mary parking lot. 

According to the Timely Warnings, some of the reporting parties knew the individual involved, and some did not. 

According to Karalis, "Most reports of sexual or gender-based misconduct don't lead to Timely Warnings because they are often reported later, which is common for these types of reports."

He said this number of timely reports is in line with last year's statistics.

According to Karalis, the four Timely Warnings were issued in compliance with the Clery Act, which is a federal law that requires U.S. colleges and universities that have federal financial aid programs to publish information about crime on their campuses. 

The Clery Act mandates schools to issue Timely Warnings about crimes that meet certain criteria as soon as possible after the report of a crime was made. 

The four reports were made and shared to the community within a week after the incident happened, the fastest being the day after and the longest being six days later. 

"Most reports of sexual misconduct at Stonehill are addressed through the College's Title IX process, rather than a criminal investigation conducted by Campus Police," said Karalis. 

He said whether the report is addressed by the Title IX process or Campus Police depends highly on the reporting person's wishes. He said when the College receives the report, they assess any safety concerns and connect the reporting party with resources and support. 

According to Karalis, "When each of the reports were received, we worked with Stonehill administrators to ensure an appropriate response to each matter. Depending on the circumstances and the students' wishes, most reports are handled through the Title IX process or other supportive measures."

Karalis said everyone in the campus community plays a vital role in actively contributing to a safe and respectful campus environment. He recommends students become more familiar with campus and local resources which are outlined on the campus police website and know the laws of consent. 

Karalis also gave tips for students to become more active bystanders. He said students need to look out for their friends and consider using the buddy system when attending parties or social events. 

He also said to pay attention to changes in behavior, specifically if a friend seems unusually intoxicated, uncomfortable, or withdrawn. 

If any campus community members are in a situation where they feel unsafe and need to report an emergency, call the Campus Police number 508-565-5555.