University of Virginia Requests Investigation of Alleged 2012 Gang Rape Detailed in New Rolling Stone Article
ByUniversity of Virginia (UVa) President Teresa Sullivan has requested an investigation into an alleged gang rape that occurred at a fraternity house in Sept. 2012.
According to the Huffington Post, Sullivan issued a statement to the UVa community on Wednesday stating new details in the case had come to light. Only identified as "Jackie," the alleged victim did not report the incident until the spring of 2012, but UVa also did not place the fraternity under investigation until this past Sept.
Rolling Stone published an investigative piece on Wednesday detailing Jackie's account of a brutal gang rape at the UVa Phi Kappa Psi house. She said seven men took part in raping her, beating her and violating her with a beer bottle, apparently as some sort of initiation.
She recalled receiving lacerations from falling through a glass table and being punched in the face for biting someone someone's hand, among other injuries.
"I have asked the Charlottesville Police Department to formally investigate this incident, and the University will cooperate fully with the investigation," Sullivan wrote in her statement. "I want to underscore our commitment to marshaling all available resources to assist our students who confront issues related to sexual misconduct. Our dedicated Student Affairs staff devote countless hours to educating and counseling our students on issues regarding their health and safety, and they stand ready to assist whenever students need help."
As the U.S. Education Department has made Title IX investigations public record, the HP confirmed that UVa is one of 88 such institutions. Under the federal gender equity law, schools are required to properly investigate and adjudicate crimes of sexual discrimination.
The national Phi Kappa Psi organization also responded to the Rolling Stone article, stating it takes a no tolerance approach to handling reports of sexual violence.
"First and foremost, we do not condone violence under any circumstances; gender-based and sexual violence is particularly heinous. It is antithetical to the morals and founding principles of our Fraternity, and we condemn it unequivocally," read the statement. "We remain actively and aggressively committed to ending these inexcusable forms of violence not only in the Greek community, but across all campus communities at large.
"As distressing as these allegations are to us, we recognize that the personal stress and anxiety experienced by any survivor of an assault dwarfs our own.
"No exceptions. No excuses."