(LEX GRAY)
AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO HEAR -
THIS STUDENT DID
PURSUE JUSTICE.
AND WHEN SHE COULDN'T GET
IT FROM THE COLLEGE OR
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT -
SHE REACHED HIGHER - ALL
THE WAY TO THE FEDERAL
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
WE'RE CALLING HER
CHRISTINE - BECAUSE SHE
ASKED US NOT TO USE HER
REAL NAME.
HERE'S HER STORY - IN HER
OWN WORDS.
WHEN I WAS EARLY IN MY
JUNIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE I
WAS ASSAULTED ON CAMPUS
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
MONTHS THINGS WERE, I
WOULD SAY, GROSSLY
MISHANDLED BY WILLIAM AND
MARY. TWO YEARS PRIOR -
AS A FRESHMAN -
CHRISTINE, AS
WE'LL CALL HER TO PROTECT
HER IDENTITY - LOOKED
FORWARD TO HER NEXT FOUR
YEARS.
I WAS EXCITED TO GO THERE
AS A STUDENT.
I FOUND MY COMMUNITY
REALLY EARLY ON WHICH I
FELT REALLY FORTUNATE TO
HAVE DONE. I WAS DOING
WELL.
THAT CHANGED ONE MORNING
IN [SEPTEMBER OF
2015], WHEN CHRISTINE
WOKE UP AFTER A FRIEND'S
BIRTHDAY PARTY.
I DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHERE I WAS AND THEN
REALIZED WHO I WAS WITH
AND SORT OF SLOWLY
STARTED TO PIECE TOGETHER
ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUAL
FACTORS, LIKE I'M NAKED
AND I'M SORE AND NONE OF
THIS WAS WHAT I EXPECTED.
THIS IS WRONG, THIS IS
WRONG. BUT AT THE TIME,
DAY OR TWO LATER THAT SHE
REALIZED - SHE NEEDED TO
GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
I HAD THESE BRUISES AND
BURST BLOOD VESSELS ALL
OVER MY HIP AND THIGH
FROM THAT FOR A COUPLE OF
DAYS AFTER.
THAT WAS ALL RECORDED
DURING THE EXAM - AND
CHRISTINE DID GO FORWARD
WITH REPORTING THE
ASSAULT TO THE UNIVERSITY
AND WILLIAM & MARY
POLICE.
SHE WAITED TO HEAR WHAT
THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE.
I REMEMBER THAT TIME AND
IT FELT LIKE FREE FALL
FOR
LIKE A MONTH, WAITING FOR
SOMETHING.
FROM [MID-SEPTEMBER] TO
[MID-OCTOBER] - NO
RESPONSE FROM THE
UNIVERSITY.
THAT'S CHRISTINE'S FIRST
COMPLAINT - AND THE LIST
GREW LONGER AND LONGER.
NEXT - SHE SAYS, WILLIAM
& MARY DISCOURAGED HER
FROM GETTING A LAWYER -
AND PROVIDED AN
INEFFECTIVE ADVISOR TO
GUIDE HER THROUGH THE
PROCESS.
I MET WITH HER ONE TIME
RIGHT AT THE VERY
BEGINNING I HAD REPORTED
AND ASKED WHAT I COULD
EXPECT FROM THE PROCESS
AND SHE COULDN'T ANSWER
AND PULLED UP THE POLICY
WEBSITE WHICH I THINK WAS
THE MOMENT I REALIZED I
WAS GOING TO HAVE TO
TEACH MYSELF.
CHRISTINE FOLLOWED UP
WITH THE OFFICERS
INVESTIGATING HER CASE -
BUT THAT PROCESS DIED
QUICKLY:
WE WERE BASICALLY TOLD BY
CASE BECAUSE
THERE WASN'T ENOUGH
EVIDENCE AND THAT WE
SHOULD DROP IT.
SHE SAYS SHE LATER FOUND
OUT FROM A TITLE IX
INVESTIGATOR - THEY NEVER
EVEN OPENED UP THE
RESULTS OF HER HOSPITAL
EXAM AFTER THE ASSAULT.
FINALLY: THE DEAN MISSED
THE DEADLINE TO GIVE
CHRISTINE THE
DETERMINATION IN HER CASE
- WHICH IS THE
UNIVERSITY'S VERSION OF A
VERDICT.
AND WHEN SHE DID GET IT
--
IT KIND OF CAME DOWN TO
THIS WEIRD - I DON'T EVEN
KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT,
THIS VERY STRANGE LOGIC
IN MY DETERMINATION
LETTER
GETTING THAT
DETERMINATION LETTER WAS
- TO CHRISTINE - THE
FINAL INSULT IN AN
ALREADY DEMEANING
PROCESS.
SO WHAT WAS THE
DETERMINATION - AND THE
STRANGE LOGIC BEHIND IT?
THAT'S ALL COMING UP ON
WAVY NEWS 10.
AND -- ALTHOUGH WILLIAM
AND MARY CAN'T TALK
ABOUT SPECIFIC CASES - WE
DID TALK TO THEM FOR A
LONG TIME ABOUT HOW THEY
DEAL WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT
-
AND HOW THEY MAKE A
DECISION IN A CASE LIKE
CHRISTINE'S.
THAT'S ALSO COMING UP ON
WAVY NEWS 10 AT 6
TONIGHT.
(TOM)
TALK TO ANY SEXUAL
ASSAULT SURVIVOR - AND
THEY HAVE A HORRIBLE
STORY.
BUT FOR ONE WILLIAM &
MARY STUDENT - THE HORROR
DIDN'T END WITH HER
ASSAULT.
(ANITA)
INSTEAD - IT DRAGGED ON
FOR MONTHS, AS
ADMINISTRATORS AND
INVESTIGATORS
WORKED ON HER CASE.
SHE FELT VICTIMIZED A
SECOND TIME-- BY THE
COLLEGE ITSELF.
10 ON YOUR SIDE'S LEX
GRAY INVESTIGATES WHAT
HAPPENED.
(LEX GRAY REPORTING)
AT 5:30, YOU HEARD FROM A
WILLIAM AND MARY
GRADUATE - WHO'S BEHIND A
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INVESTIGATION INTO THE
COLLEGE.
SHE TOLD US HER STORY OF
BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED
BY A FELLOW STUDENT- AND
HOW, AFTER SHE REPORTED
TO THE UNIVERSITY -
EVERYTHING SEEMED TO GO
WRONG - AND NO ONE WAS
FOUND RESPONSIBLE.
NOW -- YOU'LL HEAR HOW
WILLIAM & MARY
ADMINISTRATORS DECIDE
CASES LIKE HERS - AND
WHAT A LEGAL EXPERT HAS
TO SAY ABOUT IT.
THERE'S NO PERFECT
SCENARIO FOR PEOPLE WHO
DO WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF
RESOLVING THESE ISSUES.
WILLIAM & MARY'S DEAN OF
STUDENTS MARJORIE THOMAS
IS REFERRING TO THE
PERVASIVE ISSUE OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT ON COLLEGE
CAMPUSES.
IN FEDERAL DOCUMENTS AND
IN CONVERSATIONS WITH 10
ON YOUR SIDE -- SOME
STUDENTS SAY THE SCHOOL
NEEDS TO ADMIT -- IT HAS
A PROBLEM.
WHEN I WAS EARLY IN MY
JUNIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE I
WAS ASSAULTED ON CAMPUS
THIS WOMAN - WHO WE'RE
CALLING CHRISTINE -- IS A
WILLIAM & MARY GRADUATE -
WHO'S NOW PURSUING A
TITLE IX INVESTIGATION
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, BECAUSE OF THE
WAY SHE WAS TREATED AFTER
A SEXUAL ASSAULT ON
CAMPUS IN 2015.
THINGS WERE, I WOULD SAY,
GROSSLY MISHANDLED BY
WILLIAM AND MARY.
CHRISTINE SAYS THE
UNIVERSITY DISCOURAGED
HER FROM GETTING A LAWYER
-- MISSED DEADLINES
DURING ITS INVESTIGATION
- MISREPRESENTED THE
FACTS
OF THE CASE - AND SKIPPED
OVER WITNESSES.
. IT WAS A HUGE
DISAPPOINTMENT AND
BETRAYAL.
WILLIAM & MARY
ADMINISTRATORS CAN'T TALK
ABOUT SPECIFIC CASES -
BUT THEY DID TALK TO US
ABOUT HOW THEY HANDLE
SEXUAL ASSAULT AFTER A
STUDENT
REPORTS IT.
OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS, HOW
DO WE SUPPORT AND TAKE
CARE OF THAT STUDENT?
CHRISTINE DIDN'T FEEL
THAT - AND SHE ALSO HAD A
BIG
ISSUE WITH THE CONCLUSION
OF HER CASE.
THE SCHOOL FOUND -- YES,
CHRISTINE BLACKED OUT.
BUT
HER ACCUSER COULDN'T HAVE
KNOWN THAT - SO THEY
COULDN'T FIND HIM
RESPONSIBLE.
TO ME, I HEAR 'YOU WERE
RAPED BUT HE'S NOT A
RAPIST.'
HERE'S HOW THOMAS AND
MASON EXPLAIN HOW THEY
COULD COME TO A DECISION
LIKE THAT:
A SURVIVOR IS SAYING TO
US, I BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN
HARMED OR I KNOW I HAVE
BEEN HARMED AND WE DON'T
HAVE ANY EVIDENCE OF
THAT. WHEN EVIDENCE
EXISTS, IT
GIVES US MORE TO WORK
WITH, BUT IT DOESN'T
NECESSARILY MEAN THAT A
HARM DIDN'T OCCUR.
THOMAS AND MASON DEFEND
THAT LOGIC -
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO
CONSIDER THE RIGHTS OF
BOTH THE ACCUSER AND THE
ACCUSED.
IT PROTECTS BOTH SIDES
BECAUSE WE CAN'T - IF
THERE'S EVIDENCE TO SHOW
THAT THE PERSON WOULD NOT
HAVE KNOWN THAT THE
CONSENT WAS VALID, THEN
YOU CAN'T HOLD SOMEONE
RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY
SHOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN.
BUT THE WAY CHRISTINE'S
CASE WENT PRESENTS A
LEGAL PROBLEM FOR THE
UNIVERSITY.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO COLBY
BRUNO, AN ATTORNEY
WITH THE VICTIM RIGHTS
LAW CENTER.
WILLIAM AND MARY'S
THE PERSON WAS
INCAPACITATED []THE
OUTCOME SHOULD
BE, THIS MEANS THAT THE
PERSON WAS INCAPACITATED
AND THEREFORE CONSENT
COULD NEVER HAVE BEEN
ACHIEVED.
BUT COLBY ALSO SAYS THIS:
TOO DRUNK TO CONSENT IS
ADMITTEDLY A VERY HARD
THING TO PROVE
[]THERE'S ISN'T AN
INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR HOW
SOMEONE LOOKS BEHAVES
WHEN THEY ARE TOO DRUNK.
THE MAN CHRISTINE ACCUSED
OF ASSAULTING HER WAS
FOUND RESPONSIBLE IN TWO
OTHER CASES - ONE VERY
SIMILAR TO HERS.
SHE SAYS - THAT'S PROOF
CASE.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT,
HOW COULD WE HAVE DONE
THIS BETTER, HOW COULD WE
COMMUNICATE BETTER HOW
CAN WE BE MORE
TRANSPARENT
BUT CHRISTINE DOESN'T BUY
THAT.
SHE'S NOT ALONE - IN
2014, THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION OPENED A
SIMILAR INVESTIGATION --
LOOKED AT [80 CASES]--
AND FOUND WILLIAM & MARY
NEEDED TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WILL
BE THE CASE AGAIN - NOW
THAT
CHRISTINE'S STORY HAS
PROMPTED ANOTHER
INVESTIGATION.
WILLIAM AND MARY CAN'T
JUST WAIT THIS ONE OUT.
TAG
WILLIAM AND MARY CANNOT
LEGALLY RESPOND TO
CHRISTINE'S SPECIFIC
ACCUSATIONS - BUT IN OUR
CONVERSATION WITH THEM,
THEY EMPHASIZED AGAIN
AND AGAIN THAT TAKING
CARE OF VICTIMIZED
STUDENTS IS THEIR TOP
PRIORITY.
AND EVEN IF THEY DON'T
PURSUE ACTION AGAINST
ANYONE - THEY STILL
PROVIDE RESOURCES TO
SURVIVORS, AND TRY TO
HELP THEM THROUGH THEIR
RECOVERY.
TO GET A FULL
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
HAPPENED TO CHRISTINE -
AND HOW THE UNIVERSITY
RESPONDED - WE'VE POSTED
EXTENDED INTERVIEWS AND
PAGES OF DOCUMENTS
ONLINE.
JUST LOOK FOR THIS STORY
ON WAVY.COM.