A former Florida A&M University student, identified as S.B., is suing the University for failing to properly handle three rapes. In the lawsuit, the former student is accusing FAMU’s Board of Trustees of negligence and Title IX violations in response to her reports of three rapes by different men on separate occasions in 2012 and 2013. Under Title IX, students are protected from sexual discrimination in education. However, S.B. feels as though she was not given the circumstances.
In her complaint, she describes three incidents that took place while she was enrolled as an undergraduate. In the first incident, which took place in October of 2012, S.B. says she was raped by a male student at his off-campus residence. In the second incident, which took place in April of 2013, she says she was restrained and raped by a male former student at an event organized by two student organizations. She says the third and final incident happened in December 2013, when she was raped by another male student while attending a study session. She reported each incident to campus police and the judicial affairs officers. According to her complaint, those incidents were never properly investigated.
The university assigned a faculty member, who was also the advisor of the alleged perpetrator, to investigate. After this, S.B. was then harassed by members of the student group. The alleged perpetrator of the third incident was given an administrative hearing, that he and his counsel failed to show up for. The judiciary panel in charge accused the victim of lying and inviting the attack. Soon after S.B., withdrew from the university in 2014.
The university has not commented at this time, citing that it does not comment on pending litigation. S.B. is seeking damages for her suffering which include psychological harm, lost wages and earning capacity, incurred student loan debt and interest and other expenses. Her lawyer is demanding a jury trial.
