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Purdue Student Sues Over Expulsion Resulting From Sexual Assault Allegation

Purdue University

 

A former Purdue University student is suing the school and several of its officials for what he calls reverse discrimination during a sexual assault investigation.

He's the second student to sue an Indiana college claiming the application of federal Title IX legislation is biased against men.

The unnamed male student, referred to in court documents only as “John Doe,” says he was suspended as a student and dismissed from the Navy ROTC program after an unnamed female student accused him of groping her while she was asleep during the Fall 2015 semester.

In a complaint filed in federal court this week, attorneys say John Doe was not given a chance to defend himself during the internal investigation and was never allowed to review the complete investigation report.

“Purdue has created a victim-centered process in which an accused male student is prosecuted under a presumption of guilt and improperly places the burden of proof in John Doe,” the complaint reads.

The complaint says the results of the investigation can only be explained by “an anti-male discriminatory bias presuming the female’s story to be true.”

The lawsuit says the University’s decisions caused him emotional distress, loss of educational and military career opportunities and economic injuries. He is seeking damages “in an amount to be determined at trial.”

“John Doe was a male sacrificed to give [Purdue] the appearance of being Title IX compliant,” the complaint reads.

A former Indiana University student has a pending defamation lawsuit against IU. Aaron Farrer says he was expelled after an unfair internal investigation of sexual misconduct.

In a statement, Purdue University spokesperson Brian Zink says they are aware of the lawsuit but have not yet been served and have not reviewed the allegations in detail.

“To the extent the case challenges the university’s handling of complaints under our anti-harassment policy and procedures, we stand by our commitment to provide a safe and secure environment for all members of our community,” Zink says in the statement. “These are often difficult matters to investigate and decide, but we are confident in our processes and believe they afford all students with broad and appropriate protections, whether they are raising allegations of sexual misconduct or responding to them.”