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STORRS -- An incident involving three men accused of masturbating over a sleeping University of Connecticut student is sparking calls to change the state's sexual assault laws.
The men, who are also students at the school, face disorderly conduct and public indecency charges. But they will not be charged with sexual assault because there was no physical contact with the female victim during the September incident, said Elizabeth Leaming, the assistant state's attorney prosecuting the case.
"It's a frustration that there is no ability to charge a sex offense for the kind of conduct alleged," Leaming said Thursday.
Two of the students, Jared Skvirsky, 20, of Brookline, Mass., and Martin V. Piscottano, 19, of Somers, are both seeking a form of probation that could leave them without criminal records. The third, Zak A. Brohinsky, 19, of Simsbury, is still in pretrial negotiations.
Chief State's Attorney Christopher Morano said Thursday he would pursue changes in the law, and state Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, who is co-chairman of the judiciary committee, said he would consider them.
"There should be a crime that addresses the degradation of this young lady, and we need to come up with a statute to address this type of abhorrent behavior in the future," Morano said.
The incident occurred after the woman fell asleep in Skvirsky's dorm room on Sept. 24.
The young woman discovered what happened after she woke up. She filed charges three days later.
The school, citing privacy rules, would not say what other discipline the men faced, but said they are no longer enrolled at the university.
State victim advocate James Papillo said he's outraged that the charges are not more serious.
"It is demeaning and extremely embarrassing and every bit as violating as a sexual assault," Papillo said. "It ought to be treated as a sexual assault case, and the penalty ought to be harsh in a case like this. Disorderly just doesn't cut it. This is in a different league altogether."
