A male student, who was suspended from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia after he was accused of raping a woman student at the university, has filed a Title IX lawsuit against the university claiming that the university’s disciplinary procedures discriminate against men accused of sexual assault. The suit, filed in federal court, seeks more than $75,000 in damages.
The plaintiff said he had consensual sex with the woman student and claims to have text messages showing that the couple planned the sexual encounter. A disciplinary hearing was held and the male student was found guilty and suspended. At no time were the police brought into the case.
According to the lawsuit, the university “creates an environment in which a male accused is so fundamentally denied due process as to be virtually assured of a finding of guilt.” The suit accuses the university of negligence, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violations of Title IX provisions prohibiting sexual discrimination.