The Public Safety Department at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls is investigating a sexual assault that was reported late last night. U-N-I spokesperson Gwenne Culpepper says the student was attacked around 11 p-m as she walked from the library to her dorm on the southeast corner of the campus. She says the woman says the man attacked her from behind, dragged her into a grassy area near her dorm and sexually assaulted her. Culpepper says the student called the Public Safety Department and she was taken to the local hospital, treated and released. Culpepper says they have a description of the attacker, but no suspects.She described the man as African-American, about 23-years-old, wearing dark jeans, a black coat and mountain boots. Culpepper says the attack is unusual.She says Cedar Falls is considered a safe area and says such an attack is a rarity. Culpepper says the university has many ongoing programs that try to teach students how to prevent and react to such attacks. She says the attack will heighten the awareness of those programs.The programs include improving lighting and installing security phones on campus. U-N-I also has a program paid for with federal funds that works with men to talk about social attitudes that lead to sexual assault, to try and prevent such attacks.
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