Between June 22 and June 26, 5 anonymous allegations of sexual violence linked to Loyola were posted to Instagram via a non-University-affiliated account, @thedobettercampaign. According to their website, the Do Better Campaign seeks to address gender-based violence on college campuses by amplifying the voices of survivors in pursuit of sustainable change.
The allegations that are connected with Loyola include sexual assault, revenge porn, harassment, stalking, and PTSD. One individual wrote:
“An athletic team on campus made bets about which teammates could have sex with girls, whether they wanted it or not. I was raped for less than what you could buy lunch with. I went through the Title 9 process only to find that the school protected its athletes every step of the way. They let the team stalk, intimidate, and verbally and physically harass me for months. I was one of so many girls and none of us mattered. Several years later I’m still in intensive therapy for severe PTSD. He’s still playing college sports.”
Others alleged that they experienced sexual assault within their first week at Loyola.
“I was raped my first week of freshman year and endured a long and painful Title IX process. Although he had been found responsible of a sexual assault just days before my own, the school did not believe my story and he faced no consequences,” one individual said. “I was told by a faculty member present at the disciplinary hearing that they did not ‘necessarily believe him,’ but they did not believe me either.”
The stories have led to numerous students tagging Loyola’s official Instagram account in the comments sections of the posts. Referencing the name of this account’s campaign, some asked the University to “do better.” Others asked questions about how Loyola plans to address allegations of sexual violence in the future, in addition to what actions will be taken to support students in these situations.
On June 26, Katsura Kurita, deputy Title IX coordinator and assistant vice president for student development, responded to The Greyhound’s outreach for comment on these questions with the following statement:
“The University cannot speak to these specific incidents. Loyola is committed to education, training, and services that encourage healthy, safe and respectful relationships. We consistently strive to go beyond compliance with federal laws around gender-based violence, working hard to provide an environment that is rooted in our Jesuit traditions of justice and respect for others,” she said.
Kurita noted the mandatory bystander intervention training in place for all first-year students, in addition to mandatory training for all responsible employees. She also highlighted that the University is annually reviewing policies and practices, as well as providing access to confidential resources.
She encouraged anyone who believes they have been a victim of sexual assault, dating violence, relationship violence, sexual exploitation, stalking, sexual harassment, or gender-based discrimination to report these incidents via the University’s Title IX page. Additional resources include the Counseling Center and the Title IX website.
According to Kurita, specific questions or incidents from students should be brought to her at [email protected]. Faculty, staff, and administrators with questions or incidents relating to Title IX should reach out to Karen Feeley, deputy Title IX coordinator and director of employee engagement at [email protected], or Kathleen Parnell, Title IX coordinator and associate vice president for human resources at [email protected].
