MSU Denies Claims It Discouraged Woman From Filing Rape Complaint

EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan State University officials have fired back at a female student's claim that university counselors discouraged her from reporting that she was sexually assaulted by three basketball team members in 2015. The woman, who was a freshmen when she allegedly was attacked, filed a lawsuit on Monday against the university.

In a detailed response, posted to the MSU web site, university officials refute the claims of the woman. The statement indicates the university tried to investigate her claims, but she did not respond to police inquiries to her. The statement also puts blame on the media for reporting her lawsuit, which was filed in federal court.

"The media has taken these allegations about MSU’s response to her assault as established fact," MSU officials wrote. "Unfortunately, they are untrue."

The woman's lawyer, Karen Truszkowski, did not immediately respond to a request by Patch.com for comment on the university's response to the lawsuit.

In her lawsuit, the woman said that a week after being raped by the three unidentified players, she went to MSU's counseling center. After indicating it was basketball team members who allegedly assaulted her, the woman said that counselors told her that she could either make a police report or deal with the attack "on her own." The counselors, she said, advised her that they had other cases such as hers and "the best thing to do is to 'just get yourself better.'"

In its response to the lawsuit, the university says it researched the woman's case and found she did, indeed, visit the MSU counseling center. However, officials say they found no evidence or indication that the woman was discouraged from filing either a Title IX complaint or taking her allegations to police. "On the contrary, the student said she was then too distraught to discuss her circumstances," the statement says.

After the woman's father contacted her academic advisor and informed the faculty member of the alleged assault, the woman's academic advisor, as required by MSU policies, notified the MSU Police of the alleged attack, according the university's statement. The MSU Police investigated her alleged assault and its Special Victim's Unit attempted to contact the woman, but she did not respond, the university said. An email that included information about filing a Title IX complaint and resources available was sent to her as well, the university said.

"To date, she has yet to exercise her right to make a Title IX complaint or contact the MSUPD or respond to the effort of the Special Victims Unit to learn information about the assault her father brought to the academic advisor’s attention," MSU said in its statement.

The university also noted that its Athletics Department or the basketball team and coaches were never contacted or made aware of the alleged sexual assault.

"We are deeply saddened when any student comes to us as the result of a sexual assault" said MSU Interim President John Engler in the statement. "For the unfortunate cases where it does happen, MSU has the resources tools and expertise to respond. These resources are available to every member of the community, 24-7, no exceptions."

The lawsuit, as well as the university's response to it, comes as the university is dealing with harsh criticism for its handling of a string of reports about sexual assaults by former sports medicine doctor Larry Nassar, who was convicted earlier this year of sexually assaulting young women and girls during routine exams. Many of Nassar's victims claimed they took their complaints to the university, but were ignored.

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