Let’s use some common sense here. It had to have been described to JP as an assault, or as a possible assault. Otherwise, JP would have just laughed it off. He would not have alerted his supervisors, or anybody else.
...he testified to the Grand Jury that it was something of a sexual nature...the OP and Curley and Schultz can call it horsing around all they want...but Paterno knew what it was...
“Let’s use some common sense here.”
Like the Athletic Department at colleges is a very powerful organization and the AD and ‘Coach’ are always informed of any misdeeds of their staff and players and most misdeeds are covered up ‘for the good of the team’.