Scott Andrew Mailly was arrested without incident at an off-campus apartment complex in Arcata. He was booked into the Humboldt County Jail, and later released Saturday morning after posting bail.
In addition to the criminal charges, Mailly faces potential student judicial action.
The investigation of the case began Thursday afternoon, after a 19-year-old female student sought medical treatment for rape at the Student Health Center. The survivor, whose name is being withheld for privacy, is also a freshman at HSU. She requested an investigation and criminal prosecution.
University Police immediately assigned an officer to the case, and the investigation led to information that corroborated key pieces of the survivor’s statement. After consulting with the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, police made the decision to arrest Mailly.
Police believe Mailly and the survivor became acquainted through the survivor’s roommate. All three entered HSU last fall and moved into the residence halls. Mailly and the survivor were not dating.
The rape allegedly took place in the survivor’s residence hall room, and no weapons were used.
In addition to treatment at the Student Health Center, the survivor was provided assistance by the North Coast Rape Crisis Team.
Acquaintance rape is a serious concern at colleges and universities across the country, and research has found that these crimes can be more traumatic than a “stranger attack.” Most student survivors of acquaintance rape choose not to make a report, or not to seek criminal prosecution. Delayed reporting, as took place in this incident, is not uncommon.
Humboldt State Police and other officials strive to give survivors as much ownership of the reporting process as possible. When a sexual assault report is made, campus police make it a top priority to investigate as thoroughly as possible.