November 28, 2007...6:49 pm
Tulane Police Officer Accused of Raping Tulane Student
As a recent graduate of Tulane, this is one of the most shocking stories I have ever read. About a month ago, the Tulane Hullabaloo reported about a male Tulane student in his junior year who was allegedly tasered and raped by an officer of the Tulane University Police Department (TUPD). According to the article, A TUPD officer walked the student back to his dorm late at night and forcibly entered his room. When the student had a chance to get away, he tried but was unable to contact anyone. There was a struggle and the student felt a sharp pain in his neck. He awoke the next morning alone in his bed, naked and with two marks in his neck. If you are interested in more of the details, please check out the original story or editorial at www.thehullabaloo.com.
The creepiest aspect of this whole thing is the LACK of coverage it’s received. I would think a story like this should at least make the local news–if not the national news. Neither the Times Picayune nor NOLA.com reported on this story. The only publication that did cover this alleged rape was the student-run Tulane Hullabaloo; and its report was practically incomplete because every Tulane official questioned in the article was unable to comment on the accusation.
I don’t know if NOPD and TUPD are still trying to build a case, or if the charges were just dropped; but since no charges were filed and no arrest was made, from a PR perspective, I understand Tulane’s desire to keep this alleged rape quiet.
(No publicity is bad publicity… I’m not sure that stands in this case.) However, from the standpoint of student safety and awareness, I believe that the Tulane administration’s silence is extremely irresponsible.
photo courtesy of wka, used under this Creative Commons license
1 Comment
May 8, 2008 at 1:44 am
[...] these days more than ever. From the vicious slayings of the city streets to the consistent array of rapes and hazings at Tulane University we are suffering a deluge of it. Both the city and the University [...]
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