COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Two female students from Texas A&M University are speaking out publicly about their sexual assault cases, sparking a fiery debate.
The women, Hannah Shaw and Meghan Romere, said they were sexually assaulted by student-athletes and are upset about how the university handled their cases. The accused athletes were temporarily suspended, but were allowed back on the team. The women said a temporary suspension is not enough.
Shaw’s tweet went viral.
“Me: I’m unhappy the boy who r*ped me is back on the swim team. Texas A&M: [image of email that states the University, ‘adheres to the administrative process that govern Title IX matters at Texas A&M’]” Shaw tweeted.
According to university policy the suspect is allowed to return to the team.
Shaw alleges she was sexually assaulted by a member of the swim team, who was suspended for one semester and placed on probation for another. He is now allowed to return to play on a National Collegiate Athletic Association team and claims their encounter was consensual.
The suspect’s attorney, Gaines West, said the student was defamed by the accusers after a brief consensual encounter three years ago in a Facebook post.
According to Romere, a football player began touching himself inappropriately in front of her during a tutoring session in October 2016. The suspect claims he was touching himself because he could not control his “jock itch.”
The university said it believed Romere but did not determine the suspect was guilty, despite placing him on temporary suspension. After the case was appealed, his suspension was lifted.
She posted about her whole story on Twitter she said, “I’ve left out names, because at this point, it’s not about the young man who attacked me. The criminal justice system worked like it should, and he was convicted of and punished for his crimes.”
“But Texas A&M? You failed me. And you didn’t just fail me, you’ve failed each and every vulnerable student that walks across your campus,” Romere said.
In response to outrage from the community, the school released a statement regarding sexual assault investigations. The university states it looks into every claim of sexual misconduct and imposes sanctions once violations are confirmed.
The statement addresses how it handles student-athlete leave, sexual misconduct and its commitment to student safety.
“We have a deep commitment to a safe, secure environment for all students; to a fair investigative process; to rights of appeals by parties; and to the rendering sanctions to those found responsible for sexual misconduct,” the statement said.
A&M students have now created a petition demanding a change to the university’s policies to protect victims of sexual assault and calls for student-athletes to not receive special protections.
The #MeToo movement has placed a renewed focus on the subject of sexual assault, and the crime is common on US college campuses. A survey of University of Texas undergraduates found that 15 percent of women reported being raped while enrolled at the Austin campus.
The A&M survivors went on the Today show to talk about their experiences and encourage other victims to speak out.
Spectrum News has reached out to A&M for comments on the allegations.