When Victims Suffer Consequences That Assailants Don't

The Center for Public Integrity has a great series on sexual assault on campus. The story today is pegged to the story of a young woman who sought charges against her assailant, Margaux J., a student at Indiana University Because most prosecutors don't want to touch sexual assault cases due to the “he said, she said” nature of the cases, women are usually left to pursue disciplinary hearings on campus. The story notes:

The Center interviewed 50 experts familiar with the campus disciplinary process, as well as 33 female students who have reported being sexually assaulted by other students. The inquiry included a review of records in select cases; a survey of 152 crisis services programs and clinics on or near college campuses; and an examination of 10 years of complaints filed against institutions with the U.S. Education Department under Title IX and the Clery Act. The probe reveals that students deemed “responsible” for alleged sexual assaults on college campuses can face little or no consequence for their acts. Yet their victims’ lives are frequently turned upside down.

Ultimately, Margaux's assailant "suffered" a summer suspension, when he was unlikely to be attending classes anyway. Margaux was ultimately so depressed and frustrated that she ultimately dropped out. If you can stomach it, it's definitely worth reading the whole story.