The University of Chicago is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights for mishandling several sexual assault cases under violations of Title IX, which prevents sex-based discrimination. We’ve been covering the ongoing investigations of how universities around the country are covering up rapes by filing them as “disputes” or shaming the girls into dropping charges.
According to the Chicago Maroon, “Stemming from a student’s formal complaint placed with the Office on March 15, 2013, OCR will now broaden its investigation to assess the University’s policies and practices regarding sexual misconduct. The federal investigation will involve a review of University records, interviews with staff members, and student focus groups.”
A brave student, who will remain anonymous, wrote in and wanted to share her story. When her abusive hookup sexually assaulted her the school was dismissive and felt she had no case, she was put in further danger as her abuser was free to violate her personal space. It was only when a Title IX coordinator intervened that her case was given any credence and allowed to move forward.
Here it is.
My first year of college, I started hooking up with someone in my house a year older than me, who I knew had a reputation for being violent when drunk. One night when we were both very drunk, I asked him to stop multiple times and he did not, and since I was concerned about him hurting me, I didn’t keep pushing the issue. We continued hooking up (in retrospect, the relationship was rather psychologically abusive) until another drunken night he choked me and I cut it off. He left the school that quarter (which had been preplanned), and the next quarter I went to the Dean of Students to report my assault.
Dean Art said she was too busy with other cases, and so I was put with an Assistant Dean. Given that it was near the end of the quarter, they said that the process would be resumed after the summer. They also instituted a no contact order between the two of us. Despite giving them witnesses, they decided there was not enough evidence to push forward, which they informed me of at the beginning of the next quarter. A few weeks later, I heard that he had returned to visit my university from a friend. Despite the Assistant Dean being aware of this fact, she did not warn me, and he ended up coming to both my house, my floor, and my house table at the dining hall, despite the no contact order, and housing could not place a ban on him at the time (although they have now.) Because I had been warned, I was living with a friend at the time, but the entire experience was deeply traumatic. Afterwards, I met with the Title IX coordinator at my university about what had happened, and after her meetings with the Deans, they decided to move forward with the investigation, to quote “due to your meeting with the Title IX coordinator.”
During this entire process, I was hopelessly confused. My Assistant Dean did not clarify the reason for the decision or the process, and seemed to generally act as if I were lying, with little concern for my well-being.
Fast foward to the hearing, which occurred during my finals week. I had asked many friends to write statements which were not included in the packet. When I inquired about them, the Dean first said they had not received the statements, and then after I forwarded them the email in which my friend sent the Dean their statement, they said that they chose not to include the statement in the packet. One of the statements they chose not to include involved his verbal harrassment of another female student, including text messages detailing his behavior towards her. When I questioned why they were not included, (which I only discovered through a conversation with a mutual friend; I assumed she had not submitted a statement, not that it was purposefully excluded) given that it supported my narrative of his reputation for violence and that Title IX requires that previous accusations be taken into account in hearings, they decided to include the statement about twenty minutes before the hearing began. The entire process was exhausting, and required me to constantly monitor the Dean’s activity, which was certainly not my job, as they are meant to conduct a full investigation – not to be reminded of their duties by the victim.
The hearing itself was fine, and of course confidential. Luckily I was supported through this process with loving friends, but the University’s behavior was confusing and incompetent and best and malicious at worst.
We’re glad that things eventually worked out for her the best that they could, given the circumstance but dismayed by how dismissive the school was and unconcerned for her safety. The fact that dozens of universities are now under formal investigation for the mistreatment of rape and sexual assault survivors is a testament to how little our culture understands the gravity of sexual violence against women.
If you would like to share your story or thoughts on sexual assault and violence email emerald.pellot@teamcoed.com.
[Image Via. Shutterstock/Kichigin]
