By Deona Hooper, MSW
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has spawned a flurry of media attention after reports that a UNC rape victim is facing possible expulsion for talking about her assault to the press. Sophomore, Landen Gambill, has been brought before the University’s Honor Court by her alleged attacker for disruptive or intimidating behavior that willfully abuses, disparages, or otherwise interferes with another. Despite never naming her attacker in public, Gambill stated in a recent interview with the Daily Tarheel that she is being accused of intimidating her rapist as a result of talking about her sexual assault publicly.
This action comes one month after a former UNC Assistant Dean, three students, and a former student file a compliant with the United States Department of Education Civil Right’s Division alleging that UNC has willfully under reported sexual assaults on campus in violation of federal law. Online Magazine, Jezebel, conducted an in depth timeline of the unfolding events which appears to be shaping up as a university cover-up. Here is an excerpt from Jezebel:
Last month, former UNC assistant dean of students Melinda Manning, three students and one former student filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights on behalf of themselves and 64 other unnamed sexual assault survivors, alleging that university officials pressured Manning into underreporting cases and violated the Campus Sexual Assault Victims’ Bill of Rights, the Clery Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and equal opportunity mandates under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Now sophomore Landen Gambill, one of the students named in the case, says she’s being punished by the Office of Student Conduct for “intimidating” her rapist by speaking to the press about her sexual assault. Read More
Student protests have assembled on campus in opposition to the university’s handling of the situation in addition to increasing awareness on the apparent rape culture plaguing our society. Student’s have created a Change.org petition to appeal to the University Chancellor and Board of Trustee’s to take corrective action. The petition has garnered 2,775 signatures so far, but over 22,000 signatures are still needed. To sign the petition, go to this link at Change.org
View WRAL Durham-Raleigh-Chapel Hill Local News Interview with Landen Gambill:
View Video of a UNC Student discussing Rape Culture which is unrelated to the current news reports:
photo credit: UNC Safer Carolina Change.org Petition
