A New Lawsuit Highlights Ongoing Sexual Assault Scandals At Baylor

Baylor officials are accused of blaming a sexual-assault victim, even after promising to refocus attention more broadly on allegations of sexual assault by university students.

By Alexandra HartAugust 24, 2017 1:54 pm,

In a lawsuit filed this week against Baylor University, a woman alleges that the questions she faced after reporting a sexual assault shifted blame away from her attacker and onto her. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Waco on Monday, alleging Baylor’s response to the attack violated the federal Title IX law against gender discrimination. The events detailed in the lawsuit allegedly happened after the university said it had implemented new policies in response to sexual violence scandals at Baylor.

A new book, “Violated: Exposing Rape At Baylor University Amid College Football’s Sexual Assault Crisis,” explores the history of sexual assault scandals at Baylor. Paula Lavigne co-authored the book. She has been investigating the Baylor sexual assault scandals for ESPN. She says eight lawsuits related to sexual assaults have been filed against the university, along with allegations of Title IX violations. Additionally, the NCAA and other governing bodies continue to investigate Baylor’s responses to assault allegations.

Lavigne says she was not surprised that lawsuits related to sexual assault at Baylor continue to be filed. She was surprised, however, that the latest action alleges university officials discounted a victim’s claims, even after the university claimed to have instituted policies aimed at assisting sexual assault victims.

 

Written by Shelly Brisbin.