Hazing, Sexual Assault and the Future of Fraternities
On Feb. 3, 2016, Jason Brian Relopez, a former Utah State University student and Sigma Chi fraternity member, plead guilty to raping two female USU students. As the Deseret News reported, Relopez was also charged with aggravated kidnapping, but the charge was dropped before the trial.
Both women who were sexually assaulted by Relopez met him through the university’s Greek system. When a 19-year-old woman went to a party at Sigma Chi’s fraternity house in July, 2015, Relopez slapped her and subjected her to sexual abuse she couldn’t object to without putting herself at risk, the woman testified in a hearing. Another woman, 20, was kissing Relopez at her house in October, 2014 when he held her down and raped her.
Four months earlier, another USU student involved in Greek life plead guilty to forcible sexual abuse. Ryan Wray, former president of Pi Kappa Alpha, was designated to assist intoxicated women at a party at the fraternity house, according to the Deseret News, but when a drunk woman passed out at the party, she awoke to find Wray touching her.
