In an earlier blog, we highlighted how sexual assault on college campuses has become a national issue and pressure on colleges and universities to respond is growing, despite their lack of adequate criminal justice resources.
Many campuses have enacted new policies to address sexual assault on campus, however some feel the rules are “overwhelmingly stacked against the accused” and “starkly one-sided”.
Recently, in a related twist, Columbia University is being sued by a male student for failing to protect him from harassment after he was accused of sexually assaulting another student.
The female victim of the alleged assault was unhappy with the way the university handled her sexual assault complaint against the fellow student. With the University’s blessing, she began lugging a mattress around campus in protest.
The performance piece, dubbed “Carry that Weight,” became something of a national phenomenon with several social networks picking up the story and eventually the name of the accused was discovered.
As a result of his ‘outing’, the accused rapist says that he has been subjected to severe, pervasive and threatening behavior by other Columbia students and fears his employment prospects are in jeopardy. He believes Colombia University failed to protect him and thereby became an active supporter of harassment.
The suit comes just days after a judge dismissed another lawsuit against Columbia. In that suit, a male student alleged that the school violated his Title IX rights, treating him too harshly in a sexual assault hearing in order to demonstrate that it (the university) was taking a tough stance on campus rape.
Sexual assault on college campuses is a real concern for parents and their young students. The rules regarding what is sexual misconduct are often too broad and sometimes rely too heavily on what a victim interprets as a violation - leaving those accused of sexual assault with few avenues of defense. If you or a family member has been charged with sexual assault or an internet sex crime, the experienced Law Offices of Andrew C. Ladd LLC can help. Our attorneys have handled many sex crime cases with great success. Contact us today for help.
Source: The Washington Post, “Columbia University Sued by Male Student in ‘Carry that Weight’ Rape Case”, by Sarah Kaplan, April 24, 2015.
