Brown University Faces a Lawsuit Over Its Alleged Failure to Protect Students From Sexual Assault
Brown University has systematically and repeatedly failed to protect women from rape and other sexual misconduct, according to a federal class action lawsuit filed recently by four current and former female students.
The suit, which was filed last Friday in Providence federal court, alleges the Ivy League school in Rhode Island actively prevented the reporting of incidents of sexual violence and perpetuated a culture of silence on campus.
One of the women said she was advised against making a formal complaint after being sexually assaulted at a party hosted by rugby team members because it happened off-campus, where officials said it would be more difficult to hold someone accountable.
Another said the university found her alleged assailant responsible for her sexual assault, but then named him a speaker at the school’s commencement ceremony while he was appealing the case. The woman said the university overturned his assault finding and sanctioned her after she went public with her concerns about his role in commencement. The male student ultimately didn’t speak at graduation.
