Catholic University graduate alleges school was ‘indifferent’ to rape report

Source: The Washington Post

October 13 at 5:22 PM
A Catholic University graduate has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that her alma mater was “deliberately indifferent” to her report of being raped on campus during her freshman year. Erin Cavalier, 22, says the school mishandled its investigation of the case and impeded her work afterward as an advocate for sexual-assault survivors.

Cavalier, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree from the Vatican’s university in America, says the university blamed her for what happened in her dormitory room after she went on a drinking binge one night in December 2012.

Cavalier said she was raped by another student after she blacked out while drunk. The university concluded nearly 10 months after the incident that there was insufficient evidence to discipline the other student for sexual misconduct, finding that Cavalier was “not incapable of giving consent.” No criminal charges were filed.

The lawsuit, filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that Catholic violated the federal anti-discrimination law known as Title IX and seeks financial damages for “negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.” Catholic denies wrongdoing.

The Washington Post generally does not identify people who report they were victims of sexual violence unless they choose to be identified. Cavalier spoke publicly about her case in 2014, telling The Post about her battle to obtain a disciplinary hearing from the university on her case.

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