New Citadel Sex Abuse Charges Surface
The Citadel is still dealing with a sex abuse case that was first made public almost a year ago but now a new one has surfaced. The prestigious South Carolina Military College confirmed Tuesday that there are new sexual assault complaints from students.
The prior case involved Citadel alum Louis "Skip" ReVille, who allegedly engaged in sexual activity with campers at the college's summer program.
Current allegations involve a former student of The Citadel who is accused of sexual misconduct against at least two different students.
One cadet reported that the suspect made unwanted advances while he was studying in the suspect's dorm room.
The suspect put a hand on the victim's thigh and grabbed the victim's genitals. When the victim pushed him away the suspect told him that it 'was normal and ok' and that 'everyone did it.'
That cadet didn't report the incident at the time because the suspect was an upperclassman while the victim was a 'knob' or freshman. The power dynamic discouraged him from turning in the suspect.
The second victim was also a cadet and he received three unwanted sexual advances from the suspect. In one incident the suspect tried to kiss him and on two separate occasions the suspect jumped on him while he was sleeping. In both those instances the suspect tried to wrestle him in a way that seemed sexual to a witness.
Unwanted sexual touching is the definition of sexual assault and it appears to be what happened in this case. Currently there are no criminal charges filed but that may change as more information comes out.
Neither victim wants to press charges but they may happen anyway. The government decides whether to bring criminal charges although the victim's cooperation can influence that decision. If there's enough evidence, they may bring it even over a victim's objection.
The fact that the cadets don't want to press charges is more likely to affect a civil case. Those kinds of charges can only be brought by the victim.
Regardless of the legal outcome, the Citadel still has responsibilities of its own.
The school is required to report the incident under a national law that requires colleges and universities receiving federal financial aid to report potential crimes to law enforcement. They did so and they've also asked state law enforcement to investigate the issue.
The incidents happened in 2010 and 2011 but that doesn't make legal claims any less valid. Sexual assault cases generally have a very long statute of limitations so that perpetrators don't get away.
The victim's identities have been kept private for their protection. The suspect is a former Citadel cadet.
Related Resources:
- New allegations of sexual misconduct surface at The Citadel (WBTV)
- The Citadel Porn Suit Filed By Teenage Girl's Father (The Atlanta Family Law News Blog)
- 1 in 4 College Women Will be Victims of Rape (FindLaw's Blotter)