A woman is suing the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, alleging that, until recently, the school was in violation of the federal civil rights law that dictates how universities handle allegations of sexual misconduct by illegally delaying the process and offering more rights to the alleged perpetrators than to victims.
Attorneys Justin Gilbert and Eric Oliver, who represent the woman – identified only as Jane Doe – said the suit was filed “to shine a light on UTC’s longstanding failed Title IX procedures for victims of campus rape,” according to the suit filed in federal court on Friday.
“Until recently, the UT Title IX system has been operating without victims receiving full access to evidence, without victims receiving any hearing, and, even if the victim prevails, the perpetrator enjoys a “get out of jail free pass” by invoking administrative procedures to ‘start all over,'” Gilbert told the Times Free Press in a written statement. “In our view, this is wildly inconsistent with what Title IX law has always required.”
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that dictates how universities handle complaints of sexual assault and other incidents of sexual misconduct, harassment or retaliation. Under Title IX regulations, universities are required to respond to reports of sexual misconduct, but are not required to turn them over to law enforcement.
UTC officials declined to comment, stating, “the University is aware of the lawsuit. The University does not comment on pending litigation and therefore does not have any further comment at this time.”