NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Dillard University’s failure to warn students and ban an alleged rapist from campus after a November 2015 attack set the stage for the rape of another student by the same assailant in April 2016, the second victim claims in a federal lawsuit..
The lawsuit was filed this week against the New Orleans university by a woman identified as Jane Doe, the second rape victim, according to Nola.comThe Times-Picayune (https://bit.ly/2nTdWiU).
The suit says she’s been harassed by her assailant, identified in the suit by the initials J.B. The suit says he was a frequent visitor to Dillard’s campus, after failing to meet enrollment requirements during a summer program.
It was unclear whether the assailant has been criminally prosecuted.
The victim’s lawsuit says the ordeal led to her becoming severely depressed. She dropped out of school and was homeless for months.
University spokesman L. Kasimu Harris said the administration would not be making a statement at this time’.
The suit says both rapes happened at Camphor Hall, a residence hall.
“Unknown to Jane, only five months earlier, J.B. had raped another Dillard student, Kate Roe, in the very same dormitory,” the lawsuit says. “Kate had immediately reported the rape to Dillard. Dillard did not investigate Kate’s report, warn the student body, ban J.B. from campus, or restrict his access to Dillard dormitories. Because of Dillard’s inaction, J.B. was able to access Jane and rape her.”
It was only after the second alleged rape that Dillard warned students about J.B. and banned him from campus, the suit says.
Even then, the lawsuit says, Dillard’s response was inadequate.
No Dillard administrator reached out to “Jane Doe” regarding the assault, a safety plan, academic accommodations or counseling services, according to the suit.
The suit seeks unspecified compensatory damages, attorney fees and a court order that Dillard revise its policies to comply with federal guidelines on the reporting of rape.
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Information from: The Times-Picayune, https://www.nola.com
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