Yahoo has picked up the MSU Basketball rape story
The more exposure, the better. These victims need to be heard and those who repeatedly failed the victims need to be held responsible.
Link: https://www.yahoo.com/sports/michigan-state-basketball-rape-accuser-comes-forward-040326702.html
For context, when this allegation came out a year ago this was MSU's response.
- "We have confirmed that, in April 2015, Jane Doe did visit MSU Counseling Center and that our records show that appropriate care and relevant information for a rape victim was provided to the student. We have not found any evidence or indication that she was discouraged in any way to make a Title IX complaint or a complaint to the police department. On the contrary, the student said she was then too distraught to discuss her circumstances. The counselor also suggested she visit the Sexual Assault Program unit on campus.
- "In February 2016, Jane Does visited the Sexual Assault Program unit to receive additional services. She was provided appropriate services, including group counseling sessions, participating in a consultation with a sexual assault advocate, and scheduling an initial appointment with a sexual assault program therapist (an appointment which she did not appear for).
- "In October 2015, Jane Doe’s father contacted her academic advisor to discuss concerns over academic performance. Through that conversation, the advisor learned about the alleged sexual assault. Academic advisors are mandatory reporters under MSU’s policies and the academic advisor promptly took the appropriate step of notifying the MSU Police Department about the potential assault.
- "The MSUPD Special Victims Unit took the report seriously and tried to reach Jane Doe to start the investigation and gather more information, but Jane Doe did not respond to their outreach. An informational email was sent to her that outlined resources available to her, including Title IX information, options to contact the Office of Institutional Equity and relevant counseling services.
- "Jane Doe never revealed the names of her alleged assailants nor, until she filed her lawsuit, did she publicly assert that an assault had occurred. To date, she has yet to exercise her right to make a Title IX complaint or contact the MSUPD or respond to the effort of the Special Victims Unit to learn information about the assault her father brought to the academic advisor’s attention.
- "Any information shared during meetings with MSU counseling and psychiatric services is private and confidential. When attempting to investigate the issue, MSUPD did not have names or any information about possible assailants as Jane Doe never responded to their inquiry. At no point was MSU Athletics Department or the Basketball Program or Head Basketball Coach aware of or notified of the existence of a Jane Doe’s sexual assault allegation."
https://statenews.com/article/2018/04/msu-statement-on-federal-lawsuit
The MSU athletic department then had to come out after this statement and apologize for it because it is a super shitty thing to do. “What’s that? You want to report a rape against people who win us basketball games? If you do, we are going to make a statement to the press calling you a liar, telling you how we did everything right and that we don’t believe you and no one else should either.” MSU is a trash institution with a trash fan base and they can just shutter that piece of shit school
It won't matter, MSU will just ignore it like they have been doing. Sad state of affairs in East Lansing. Not sure how people send their kids to school there to be honest.
Well local Detroit sports media certainly wasn't going to report on it. They're too busy with their lips wrapped around Izzo's you know what.
I have a daughter who is a sophomore in high school and I am terrified to send her to college because of these types of incidents, particularly when date rape drugs may be involved. I can see telling her, "Never go to parties, never drink anything that didn't come directly out of a sealed bottle or can, never walk alone or be alone, never let anyone into your room, never go into anyone else's room, and don't trust anyone ever, especially not people in positions of authority."
There are many colleges where that dynamic is much different. Small, private schools. Of course not all of them, but there are plenty of safe schools.
I hear you and have some of the same fears - but mine is a senior. Applied to many different schools (including Michigan). Unfortunately credentials not quite good enough to be in Ann Arbor with her brother. Has found one that we are quite pleased and comfortable with her attending. She's a smart girl, and everything will work out great. Interestingly enough, she applied to several schools, in state and out of state. Got accepted everywhere she applied - usually with good scholarship money. There's one school in michigan that she was not allowed to apply to (and really i dont think she would have even if her parents would have let her), and that's the one in east lansing.
You people have short memories. I recall quite vividly all the coverage about a local sports team.
It was - hang on, give me a second... oh yeah, stretching, omg!
Severely understaffed is stupid and you shouldn't believe it. People in all support facilities TRIAGE these issues.
Are you really saying MSU didn't have resources to counsel a gang rape victim because all their other counselors were booked up every hour with more serious issues than drug induced gang rape at state?
Smell test, people.
Good call.
April 12th, 2019 at 10:32 PM ^
The counseling program was set up poorly to begin with, and the problem was compounded because the university didn't allocate the proper resources to it. It's actually appalling how inadequate these services were. That's 100% on the university administration
April 12th, 2019 at 10:21 PM ^
The MSU B-ball program has peddled in rape and assault for years. It’s clear that Izzo doesn’t care and protects the criminals within his program. He even housed one in his basement.
Almost laughable how the press has handled these incidents, yet more victims come forward and no one in EL seems to care. The institution can burn, FWIW.
There's one way to stop rape and assault. You report the incident to police. You call 911 or you show up at the police station, campus, local, county, or state. You name your assailant. You go to a hospital and get a rape exam. You get a lawyer.
There's also a way not to do it. Some of those are not naming your assailant, waiting six months to report it, not showing up to appointments designed to protect and help you. Refusing the use of tools designed to guide you through the process. Not responding to authorities charged with investigating the case. Not having parents who sit on their ass after you've told them you were raped. Not having parents who seemed to care about your grades more than an alleged rape. Not hiring firms who only get paid if a settlement is reached. Not setting your sights on a title IX payday if you were raped.
If you want to stop rapes go to the police. There is a reason her attorneys are not alleging a rape occured. It's because they know there is a zero chance of winning the case based on all the evidence and circumstances involved. This doesn't mean in any way that an assault didn't occur. It just means that there is enough reasonable doubt. Her attorneys know this. So their have focused their attention on a possible title IX violation payday. And the case will be dismissed. It's a prime example of how NOT to stop rape on a college campus. It may sound crass and out of touch but if you take out fanatic school affiliation and fandom, its a fact.
April 13th, 2019 at 11:01 AM ^
Walton’s accuser went to the police and he ended up paying a fine for littering. Appling’s and Payne’s accuser went to the police and they were never charged. Corley, Vance and King received probation after their accuser went to the police - but at least Title IX prompted the exit of the latter 3. Title IX kicked out Gibbons even when police didn’t recommend charges.
Title IX is not the solution and MSU’s admin is a complete joke. Hiwever, the bigger problem is when Police and DAs lack action or softly pursue assault, which creates a hostile environment. It exists in EL and MSU AD/Izzo/Dantonio are complicit in the problem.
April 13th, 2019 at 12:04 PM ^
You're losing sight of the facts in each case. Facts determine if a case can be brought and won in a court of law. In the Payne/Appling case their was no way you prosecute that case. You and I both know it. In Waltons case it was he said/she said with witnesses for both sides. You can't win that case. You and I both know it. Corely/Vance/King..... did not commit assault or rape and their accuser approved of the plea for seduction. You do the math. It's funny how the EL police are look the other way when rape occurs but in the Gibbons case it's just a case of the police not recommending charges.....
April 13th, 2019 at 12:28 PM ^
The front page of the USA Today mobile version (not sure or print) has the above story about sexual assault. The picture that shows on the front page is he UM campus with the M logo prominently displayed although the story is unrelated to UM. This is hot garbage, anyone just looking at the pic would assume this is about UM. I may be an OSU fan but this pisses me off in a big way, lazy journalism and wrongly associating a school that was not the direct subject of the story is repugnant
You have to actully go to the front page, the link doesn’t show the picture