Rape Claims Against Baylor Continue to Mount

WACO, Texas (CN) — In the latest in a string of federal lawsuits, a former student accused Baylor University of creating "a hunting ground for sexual predators," and condoning underage drinking, drug use and rape.

The Jane Doe who sued Baylor on Monday claims Baylor has "a long-standing, severely hostile environment of rape by male students that was condoned and completely unaddressed by Baylor and Baylor Regents officials, including President Ken Starr and Title IX coordinator Patty Crawford."

She is at least the fourth woman who has claimed in court this month that Baylor shrugged her off after she reported being raped. Baylor is trying to settle another lawsuit from a woman who claims school counselors told her they were "too busy" to see her after she was raped a football player. Baylor settled yet another rape claim in January, from a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by a football player. No lawsuit was filed in the case.

The continuing parade caused President Ken Starr to step down and cost head football coach Art Briles his job.

In the latest lawsuit, Doe says she was drugged and abducted from a party at an off-campus residence known as "The Rugby House" by a student who was not a member of the rugby team.

A blistering review from the Pepper Hamilton law firm this year increased pressure on Baylor to do something.

The latest Jane Doe says that sexual assault is not just "an 'athletic department issue,'" but an institution-wide problem that Baylor and its regents failed to address.

"It is clear that Baylor and the Baylor Regents created a hunting ground for sexual predators to freely prey upon innocent, unsuspecting female students, with no concern of reprisal or consequences," the complaint states.

Doe says the school knew of at least five previous sexual assaults at "The Rugby House" but did nothing to stop it. She says that when her mother contacted the Title IX coordinator to report her Feb. 28, 2015 assault, she was told, "'Doe made six at 'The Rugby House.'"

Yet she says her rapist was not issued a no-contact order and an administrative hearing was not conducted. Doe dropped out of school at the end of the 2015 spring semester.

She says Baylor has a de facto policy of deliberate indifference to sexual assaults, and supported "underage drinking, drug use, rape and unlawfully discriminating against victims of sexual assault and fostering this hostile environment."

She seeks damages for Title IX gender discrimination, negligence, medical expenses, past and future pain and suffering, diminished earning capacity and loss of enjoyment of life.

She is represented by Paula Estefan with Elliott & Little of Conroe.

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