Sexual Assault allegations on college campuses do not come as a surprise to me anymore. I have had too many conversations with women who have had non-consensual sexual experiences to be shocked at this point, and I am only twenty-two. These conversations are consistent, though the incidents are not always reported. In fact, they are very rarely reported.
On February 9th, 2016, six female students at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UT) filed a federal lawsuit against the school, claiming it enabled the sexual misconduct of female students by male athletes. While it is rare to see women taking any legal action against their assailants, it is extremely uncommon to see allegations brought to an entire administration. This type of lawsuit is unusual, but it is also incredibly poignant.
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Like many forms of oppression, sexual assaults are often dismissed as isolated incidents. But if it has become normal or unsurprising for women like me to hear about sexual violence among their student body, we can't write it off as an unfortunate incident. Something is allowing these crimes to go unquestioned and unaddressed, increasing their likelihood to happen in the future.
When any institution acts indifferent to the sexual violence that occurs within its own walls or under its jurisdiction, it plays a role in the damages. The UT athletic department and the Office of the Vice Chancellor have a reputation for ignoring women’s concerns and are actively fighting to deny survivors the right to fair reparations.
In theory, cases brought to any institution outside of court are reviewed by a private, impartial judge. However, with the reputation of the school and the financial stability of the sports department at stake, that is rarely the case at UT. The Office of the Vice Chancellor has repeatedly chosen judges that favor the interests of the school—eliminating practically all of the repercussions of sexual misconduct for male athletes. The odds are stacked so high in favor of UT that the survivors are rarely taken seriously. Many of the women who come forward end up dropping out or transferring schools.
It all raises some suspicious questions. Does the school care about student safety at all? Is their judicial process an elaborate show? Can six women really win a case against a state university with so many resources?
UT has also been known to delay the hearings on these cases until the athletes have graduated or transferred schools, making any indictment irrelevant. Many of the accused were even able to participate in their commencement ceremony, which celebrates their accomplishments at the university. As a result, UT celebrates the male athletes for their field goals as well as their sexual misconduct. It’s clear that the school has prioritized the careers of the athletes and their own financial stability over student safety.
Apart from the claims process, other campus practices reflect the normalization of sexual assault. Butch Jones, the UT football coach, perpetuates the trivialization of rape culture. Apart from his affinity towards blasting misogynistic songs during practices, Jones also orchestrated a team-wide homage for the retirement of former UT player, Peyton Manning. Manning is among the numerous players accused of sexual misconduct in the university’s history, though he was never investigated regarding the incident.
Having taken notes from their own coach, some football players assaulted one of their teammates, Drae Bowles, for taking a female survivor to the hospital and supporting her decision to file an incident report. His coaches allegedly blamed him for the incident, telling him that he “betrayed the team.” He has since transferred, and a lack of accountability among the team is still rampant. Because athletics are such a prominent component of student life at UT, this hostility towards advocates can permeate across the campus. Bystanders will be less likely to assist survivors or come forward in support.
The lawsuit cited that football players were not held accountable for a variety of violations, such as underage drinking, sexual harassment, assault, and even armed robbery. By ignoring these violations, the school is able to keep their athletes on the field and their name out of the headlines. But to allow such crimes to go unquestioned is to justify them, and the administration is sending a distinct message to the entire UT community that sexual misconduct is a justifiable offense, if an offense at that.
Since the lawsuit was filed, two more women have come forward. The eight female students have compiled a list, demanding that UT change its hearing processes drastically. It is unclear if these demands will effectively address the biases inherent in the current process. If the court rules in favor of the students, UT will be forced to rebuild a more comprehensive policy.
Even so, sexism will still be rampant among UT’s sports teams, survivors will still be undermined when coming forward, and the school will still put their financial interests first. UT is not alone in this injustice. College campuses everywhere are doing the same thing, even when the cameras are rolling. Survivors and other students at risk can only hope that these types of lawsuits will begin to reform an institution’s sexist policies. But if this simply the first step towards dissolving campus rape culture, then what’s next?
Plazas, D. (2016). “Investigate University of Tennessee’s Campus Culture.” The Tennessean.
Rios, E. & Pauly, M. (2016). “This Explosive Lawsuit Could Change How Colleges Deal With Athletes Accused of Sexual Assault.” Mother Jones.
Wadhwani, A. & Rau, N. (2016). “Ex-Vol Drae Bowles did not testify before grand jury.” The Tennessean.
Wadhwani, A. & Rau, N. (2016). “Sweeping Sex Assault Filed Against University of Tennessee.” The Tennessean.
Wadhwani, A. & Rau, N. (2016). “Tennessee sexual assault lawsuit cites Peyton Manning” The Tennessean.
