Lifestyle

Brown University Student Who Raped And Choked Fellow Student Will Be Allowed Back On Campus

by Katie Gonzalez
Stocksy

Students at college campuses across America have contested that schools are all too often too lenient towards people accused and convicted of sexual assault.

The latest news out of Brown University seems like a perfect case-in-point; Although one male student was found guilty by a university conduct board of choking and sexually assaulting a female student, his punishment is amounting to a one semester suspension... which seems surprisingly little for a crime so heinous.

Lena Sclove (22) reported that a former friend attacked her at a party in August.

Following proper protocol and coming forward as a brave witness to her own abuse, Sclove reported the physical violence and rape through the proper channels at Brown within two weeks of her attack.

Her assailant underwent all the normal ethics hearings, and was ultimately deemed "responsible" for four university violations, including two for sexual misconduct.

While the board recommended a two-year suspension, Vice President for Student Life Margaret Klawunn inexplicably reduced that sentence to one year.

Because Sclove appealed that decision, her attacker was allowed to remain on campus through the Fall semester, meaning that now the Spring 2014 term is the only one he'll be forced to leave Brown.

Sclove, who suffered a serious spine injury due to the assault, is rightfully up in arms that she'll be forced to continue to attend school with someone who was barely punished for his wrongdoing.

Brown University has since acknowledged that decisions do not "always yield a completely satisfying outcome for someone who has been victimized," but that's hardly a good reason Sclove will have to keep attending classes alongside the person who sexually assaulted and injured her.

Since learning of the school's decision, Sclove, who considered taking two years away from Brown in order to avoid facing her attacker each day, has been an outspoken advocate for better university judicial practices for victims of sexual abuse on campus.

Watch the clip to see Sclove tell her story to fellow students, who continue to protest in support of sexual assault survivors everywhere.

H/T: Huffington Post