Rape On UIC Campus Inspired By ‘Fifty Shades’

A University of Illinois-Chicago student has been charged with sexual assault. His excuse?

“We were re-enacting ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’,” UIC freshman Mohammad Hossain told University Police, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.

The student leader was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old student with whom he had been previously intimately involved, but they were not dating. Hossain appeared shocked when a Cook County Judge set bail at $500,000, his mouth agape as he was escorted back to lock-up.

The judge was astonished to learn that Hossain was an active student leader at UIC. According to the Chicago Tribune, Assistant Cook County public defender Sandra Bennewitz said that Hossain had been involved with several UIC leadership programs, was a student ambassador to the alumni association, and was on the triathlon team.

Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. asked the public defender, “Sandra, how can someone involved in all that let a movie persuade him to do something like this?”

“He would say it was consensual,” she replied.

The details of the assault appear to be contrary to that assertion. Prosecutors said Hossain and the woman went to Hossain’s dorm room about 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Karr said that once the couple arrived at Hossain’s dorm room, Hossain allegedly asked the woman to remove her clothing and she did, keeping on her bra and underwear. He then bound her hands above her head and to a bed with a belt, used another belt to bind her legs and stuffed a necktie into her mouth.

Hossain used a knit cap to cover the woman’s eyes, Karr said, and he stripped the woman of her clothing. He then began striking the woman with a belt.

The woman told him to stop and that he was hurting her. Hossain proceeded to hit her several times. Karr said that the woman “began shaking her head and crying.”

Hossain did not relent. The woman was able to free her hands, but Hossain restrained her and sexually assaulted her. He beat the woman with his fists and the woman continued to beg for him to stop.

According to the New York Daily News, the assault was interrupted when Hossain’s roommate came home. Hossain held the door shut to prevent him from entering. The woman was able to escape and told another person what happened. She later reported the assault to the police.

Hossain was picked up by police at a nearby dorm. He “admitted assaulting” the woman and “doing something wrong,” to UIC detectives. He allegedly told police he and the woman were re-enacting scenes from Fifty Shades of Grey.

Read more about the controversy over he movie’s release by clicking here.