A federal investigation has been initiated Friday against Occidental College, Los Angeles, for mishandling sexual harassment and rape complaints.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), started its probe after a complaint was filed last month by the campus group 'Oxy Sexual Assault Coalition' (OSAC), comprising of students and faculty, alleging that dozens of female students were sexually assaulted over the past four years and that the administrators ignored their complaints.
The group of 37 students claims that the college officials did not award proper punishment to the accused, thereby creating a hostile environment for sexual victims. As a result, the college has violated 'Title IX law.'
Since, the university receives federal funds; it comes under Title IX laws that forbid discrimination based on sex.
In response to the investigation, OSAC said , "We are grateful to the original 37 (now 42) individuals who bravely shared their experiences of sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, rape, and retaliation at Occidental College with OSAC in order to seek justice when the institution failed them."
In order to understand the allegations in detail, federal investigators have requested documents relating to the college's harassment policies. They are looking into complaints filed from 2009 to 2013.
"Because OCR has determined that it has jurisdiction and that the complaint was filed timely or qualified for a waiver of the timeliness requirement, it is opening these allegations for investigation," said Charles R. Love, program manager at the OCR.
Love also said that the investigating body will collect relevant materials and evidence from the appropriate sources for the report.
On their part, Occidental has hired two outside lawyers, Gina Smith and Leslie Gomez, to independently review their policies and practices involving sexual assault. The review is set to be completed by this summer.
"With the intent of trying to find out what we did well, what we did badly and what we might need to change to make sure that we are providing survivors with resources and the appropriate process that they need," Occidental spokesman Jim Tranquada explained.
Attorney Gloria Allred filed the Title IX action with the federal Education Department.
Allred claims that one of the accused who was found guilty of raping a woman and sexually assaulting another was let go after writing a book report and stepping down from a student leadership role.
"We believe that the university's response has been deliberately indifferent towards the victims, magnifying their suffering," Allred said.
Last month, during a public testimony held at the college, several victims spoke about their horrendous experiences with the college administrators.
Carly Mee was raped as a freshman in her first week at Occidental.
"When I told an administrator that I did not feel safe, I was told that I had nothing to worry about, that she had met with my rapist and that he didn't seem like the type of person who would do something like that," Mee said.
Even though, Mee's attacker was found guilty of rape and sexual assault twice by a panel, he was suspended but will rejoin college after she graduates.
Mee said that she can never pay a visit to the college as she is afraid of bumping into her attacker.
