Some of the women pictured naked or semi-naked on a Penn State fraternity’s secret Facebook page have gone to police and several members of the male student social group are co-operating with an ongoing criminal investigation, police have said.
The Kappa Delta Rho fraternity has been suspended for a year and is being ordered by its national office to reorganize. The Penn State president, Eric Barron, said the university had begun a wide review of the role of fraternities and sororities at the school.
The police investigation became public last week after information about a search warrant was reported. The warrant targeted an invitation-only Facebook page run by the fraternity members that showed pictures of women, some apparently passed out or sleeping, nude or partially dressed, and screenshots of text messages discussing sex with the women and other things.
Police have said anyone who posted such pictures might be subject to criminal charges including invasion of privacy.
Lieutenant Keith Robb of the State College police said some of the women were able to identify themselves in screenshots taken from the site. Penn State’s student conduct office helped them come forward in a way that respected their sensitivities, the Centre Daily Times reported.
The investigation prompted demonstrations on campus and outside the fraternity house. On Wednesday protesters marched to the house and called for the school to shut down the fraternity permanently.