We’d like to think that college campuses are becoming safer, with an increasing number of programs and campaigns advocating for consent and aiming to help rape survivors. But every so often comes a case like this one, that really makes you question the world’s sense of fairness. The University of Tennessee has been criticized over the past few years for its uncomfortably laid-back attitude towards rape allegations among its students. The Tennessean has released a timeline detailing several sexual assault incidents that have occurred since 2013 at the school.
According to Sports Illustrated, things finally came to a head on Feb. 9, when six anonymous female students filed a Title IX lawsuit against the University of Tennessee, accusing its athletics department of allowing a “hostile sexual environment” and promoting “rape culture”. Since then, two more women have become plaintiffs in the case. Six of the group of eight say that they were attacked by members of the football or basketball teams. Sounds really bad, right? Almost like there’s a culture problem in the athletic department. It gets worse.
On Feb. 24, former UT football player Drae Bowles added his side of the story to the suit. He says that in November 2014, his coach Butch Jones called him a “traitor” and accused him of “betraying his team” after Bowles helped a female friend (officially identified as Jane Doe IV in the lawsuit) who claims she had been raped by two UT football players, A.J. Johnson and Michael Williams. Johnson and Williams have been charged with aggravated rape and will both go on trial this summer after pleading not guilty.
Bowles found Jane Doe IV crying in the school parking lot after the incident and helped her wait for an ambulance. Later that day, Bowles was confronted by teammate Curt Maggitt, who punched him in the mouth for supporting the rape victim. The following day, Bowles was assaulted by two other teammates in the school’s dining hall but a fight was prevented when the team’s strength coach, Brandon Myles, intervened.
Since the events of 2014, Bowles has transferred to UT Chattanooga. According to The Tennessean, the plaintiffs state in their lawsuit: “Drae Bowles had acted with the utmost kindness and strength of character toward Jane Doe IV, her friends and Jane Doe V. For his kindness and courage he was beaten up, called a traitor by his head football coach and ostracized from the team by Coach Jones and other players.”
If the plaintiffs’ accusations are indeed correct, then UT’s football team and coach should be deeply ashamed of their past actions.