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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsArizona State University Thinks Expulsion is "Too Severe" a Punishment for Rape
Arizona State University Thinks Expulsion is Too Severe a Punishment for Rape
On March 31, Arizona State University student Brooke Lewis was raped by another student. Afterward, she reported the assault to the police, who are conducting an ongoing investigation, as well as ASUs Title IX teamwhich found the assaulter responsible for sexual misconduct and called for his expulsion. In a rare instance, however, the university hearing board is arguing against its own institutions advice.
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Calling Lewis rapist an essential member of a research team, the board declared that his 3.9 GPA is reason enough to excuse him for his behavior and let him continue to attend ASU; they ruled that being expelled for raping his classmate is too severe a punishment, and recommended instead that Lewis attacker receive a two-year suspension and be forced to take a course on sexual misconduct. The assaulterwho is being referred to as Jamesalso pushed back against the Title IX administrators call for his expulsion. He appealed the universitys initial decision, arguing that the school had little evidence and calling Lewis claims unsubstantiated allegations. To no doubt make his misconduct seem out of character, James also thought it important to release a statement speaking to his support of womens rights. I am an advocate of gender equality, including equal opportunity, equal pay for equal work and access to essential, basic healthcare for women, he wrote, warning seconds later, however, that there is an over-compensation where the pendulum swings too far in the opposite direction and creates another injustice.
College students nationwide know all too well that the pendulum isnt swinging in that directionespecially at ASU. Jasmine Lester, founder of the university group Sun Devils Against Sexual Assault, noted in an email to Ms. that only 1.69 percent of reported cases of rape and sexual harassmentor 62 of 3,660 caseswere charged during the last full school year, leaving thousands of reported sexual predators free to re-offend without consequence. She added that ASU has a troubling history of inaction on this issue, tracing back at least five years and undoubtedly more. ASU has been under federal investigation for violating Title IX since 2012, Lester told Ms., has been sued multiple times for protecting rapists and made national news for protecting faculty sexual predators in 2014.
The landscape Lewis faces shows little signs of progress. Staff and administrators have mistreated her, according to reports from her peers, and the school has failed to provide her with adequate academic and mental health accommodations in the wake of her rape. Even before Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos scaled back Title IX guidelines this year for handling instances of rape and sexual violence, students werent adequately protected from sexual assault on college campuses, Michele Sleighel and Carmen Linero-Lopez, organizers for the Feminist Majority Foundations CHOICES Campus Leadership Program, told Ms. Reporting, investigative and disciplinary processes are often confusing and inadequate, which can discourage students from coming forward. Now that the federal government has abandoned students who survive sexual assault on campuses, student leaders are making their voices heard as they demand protection for themselves and their communities.
The final decision on Jamess punishment is in the hands of Senior Vice President for Educational Outreach and Student Services, James Rundwho was given less than 20 business days to consider the appeal boards recommendation and decide whether or not to uphold the universitys expulsion. (That leaves him, at time of publishing, with around a week to decide.) Lesters group is spearheading a petition to Rund demanding that he expel Lewis attacker.
http://msmagazine.com/blog/2017/12/11/arizona-state-university-thinks-expulsion-severe-punishment-rape/
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Arkansas Granny
(31,536 posts)mythology
(9,527 posts)niyad
(113,663 posts)enough
(13,265 posts)Shouldn't that have some bearing on this situation.
niyad
(113,663 posts)and the justification for their complicity is in the second-.
enough
(13,265 posts)niyad, I am a longtime admirer of your posts. I AM NOT arguing or fighting. I'm trying to understand. Do I have to say I am a woman and 73 years old, so I've seen a lot of the human suffering from women not being believed. I'm just trying to understand the specific situation.
niyad
(113,663 posts)as well as ASUs Title IX teamwhich found the assaulter responsible for sexual misconduct and called for his expulsion. In a rare instance, however, the university hearing board is arguing against its own institutions advice.
I did not think you were arguing, not to worry. I hope the above helps.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Punishments must fit the crime - they must be harsh and sentences must be long enough to be a deterrent. I am sick of these predators getting away with a slap on the wrist. This is bullshit!
niyad
(113,663 posts)is a mere woman.
alarimer
(16,245 posts)Universities should not be able to adjudicate crimes. Maybe they need their own criminal courts, with actual charges and trials that may result in punishments beyond expulsion. I mean they have police forces of their own, why not a courts system, since they seem unable to handle it administratively.
niyad
(113,663 posts)research project, which is obviously far more important than his victim, a mere woman
why are you opposed to science?
crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)niyad
(113,663 posts)crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)Help the poor dudebros learn that their penis is not the most important thing in the world.
niyad
(113,663 posts)Greybnk48
(10,178 posts)What are the crimes that they think are graver than attacking an innocent human being and assaulting them/beating them up?
treestar
(82,383 posts)but not smart enough not to rape.
Vinca
(50,319 posts)like this. Why on earth would a university be enforcer, judge and jury for any kind of crime? Women should go straight to a state or municipal department and file a criminal complaint. Universities should have no say. The debate should be how much time the guy does and not whether he should be expelled from school.