Virginia governor urges policy review after report of campus rape

(Reuters) - Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe on Thursday urged a review of policies at the University of Virginia after a Rolling Stone magazine report about an alleged 2012 gang rape at a fraternity. The publication on Wednesday carried a female student's description of an assault by seven men at the Phi Kappa Psi house in September 2012. McAuliffe said in a statement he had spoken with university officials and they had agreed a full investigation must be carried out. "I have asked university officials to conduct a full review of all of their policies and procedures and if decided, to bring in outside experts to assist in this effort," he said. University President Teresa Sullivan said in a statement late on Wednesday that she had asked the Charlottesville Police Department to investigate the incident. She said the Rolling Stone article had several details that were previously not disclosed to university officials. The magazine said faculty and the woman's friends had discouraged her from sharing her story. Sullivan said the school took sexual misconduct seriously. Phi Kappa Psi said in a statement it was investigating the allegations against the University of Virginia chapter. "We take this matter - and these allegations - very seriously," it said. Phi Kappa Psi said that to its knowledge, there had been no criminal investigations or charges of sexual assault brought against any member of the University of Virginia chapter. Charlottesville police could not be reached for comment (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Peter Cooney)