According to statistics kept by the Stanford police, there was an increase in rapes and sexual assaults last year, with six assaults in 2006 compared to one in 2005.

But the increase is because more women are coming forward to report assaults, Stanford Deputy Chris Cohendet said.

"It's not an increase in assaults but an increase in reports of them," he said.

In the latest incident, a student walking home around midnight last Monday was approached from behind by an unknown male who touched her inappropriately. The woman broke free and ran home, Cohendet said. The assault happened near Kimball Hall on Escondido Road.

There has been more outreach to female students about what constitutes a sexual assault and a greater willingness to come forward when incidents happen, Cohendet said.

-- Don Kazak

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