University Of North Carolina Allegedly Retaliated Against A Rape Victim For Coming Forward

The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is now facing a third federal investigation into its sexual assault policies. This time, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating allegations that UNC inappropriately retaliated against Landen Gambill, a sophomore at the university, after she publicly came forward about her rape.


Gambill was one of several students who filed a federal complaint against the university at the beginning of the year, alleging UNC has created a “hostile environment” for rape victims attempting to report sexual crimes. In February, the sophomore faced an honor code violation that claimed she “intimidated” her alleged rapist by publicly sharing the story of her sexual assault — even though she never named him, simply referring to him as an “ex-boyfriend.” Later that year, even after the male student in question had been found guilty of sexually harassing Gambill, he was reassigned to a dorm building “in close proximity” to hers.

UNC has repeatedly denied that it took any actions to target Gambill after she began speaking up about the university’s sexual assault policy. University officials confirm they will cooperate with the third federal investigation.

Over the past year, UNC has faced significant backlash from its student body about its mistreatment of rape survivors. In May, the university formed a task force to review and reform the current sexual assault policy. Since Gambill and her fellow activists have gone on to support a network of student advocates working to combat rape culture on their own campuses, similar slow progress is being made at other universities as well.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/07/08/2262781/unc-third-federal-investigation-sexual-assault/


This passage stood out to me as obvious as black and white...
'she “intimidated” her alleged rapist by publicly sharing the story of her sexual assault — even though she never named him, simply referring to him as an “ex-boyfriend...”'