UofU responds to lawsuit that claims it didn’t act after report of rape
Dec 23, 2021, 4:41 PM | Updated: 4:42 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah has issued a statement related to a lawsuit filed against it by a student.
The lawsuit filed on behalf of a female student at Utah Valley University claims that both UVU and the UofU failed to act after she told representatives from the schools that she was raped by a University of Utah student.
A the time of the reported attack, the alleged assailant was a member of the University of Utah football team.
The attack is alleged to have happened in October of 2019. The Deseret News reports that the lawsuit claims the woman spoke with Title IX officers from both schools and that both of them told her they could not help her.
In a statement, the University of Utah said the school learned that a criminal report had been filed with the Unified Police Department in February of 2020. The UofU said it was at that time they learned the reported assailant’s name.
In February of 2020, after discussing the issue with the Unified Police Department, the alleged suspect was suspended from the University of Utah football program. The school says the suspension was announced in March of 2020.
“As in all criminal cases,” wrote the University of Utah’s communication department on its website, “the alleged assailant has a right to due process.
“Because criminal charges have been filed and litigation is pending in this case, we will respond through the appropriate law enforcement and legal channels.”
Related reading:
- University of Utah Police pledge to increase number of women on force
- USU football player arrested after report of sexual assault in campus dorms
- Utah State University football player faces 8 charges, including rape
