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Tell Notre Dame to Apologize for Rape Victim's Suicide and Revise Protocol
  1. Signatures
    2,038 out of 2,500
    Petitioning
    1. President, University of Notre Dame (+ 2 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • President, University of Notre Dame (Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.)
      • Vice President and Associate Provost/Committee on Women Faculty and Students (Donald B. Pope-Davis)
      • Director, Notre Dame Security Police (Phillip Johnson)
  2. Created By
    Pema Levy
    Washington, DC
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

On August 31, freshman Elizabeth Seeberg was assaulted by a football player at the University of Notre Dame. Nine days later, she took her life.

Both in the days following the attack and over the past three months, the University has failed to take the crime seriously, report it to police, or seek justice for the victim.

Sexual assault on campus is an epidemic, and Notre Dame is only perpetuating the widespread practice of ignoring victims and shaming themselves by not taking assault seriously.

Tell Notre Dame to take sexual violence by and against students seriously. To apologize for the death of Elizabeth Seeberg, the handling of her case, and to review their protocol for dealing with campus assault so that this doesn't happen in the future. Right now, Notre Dame values the "reputation" of its sports teams over justice for the victim of a sexual crime. Tell them to change their priorities.

Photo credit: Paul J. Everett 

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Apologize for Handling of Campus Sexual Assault and Review Protocol

Greetings,

Dear University of Notre Dame President, Board and Administrators,

This letter is two ask two things. First, that you publicly apologize for the handling of the assault of Lizzy Seeberg, a tragic case in which the University of Notre Dame’s choice not to prioritize an investigation of a football player and inability to share information about the attack with county police resulted in the death of Seeberg.

It is clear to all that, rather than take the assault seriously, the university sought to protect its football team and rather than seek justice for a sexual crime. The assailant should be the individual to bear any shame involved in the incident, not the victim.

Second, as a law-abiding institution as well as a Catholic institution, we ask that that you re-evaluate your protocol for investigating assault on campus, working with police departments, and what resources you have available for victims of sexual assault. There is nothing shameful about being attacked, but there is enormous shame in protecting the attacker and covering up the crime. In doing so, the university may have contributed to Lizzy Seeberg’s death, and certainly reinforced the feeling on campuses across the country that sports teams come first, and young women’s safety and respect come last.

Sexual assault is an epidemic on college campuses; one out of five women will be attacked while in college, and across the country universities hide crimes rather than fight this pervasive and serious problem. Notre Dame is now known as the worst offender, and rightfully so. Of course, the university could do a lot of good by facing the problem head on and attributing the respect, support, and protection to young women that they do to football players.

Specifically, men on campus should know that the university won’t protect them if they assault someone; that they will be subject to police action and investigation just like they would be off-campus, and that sexual assault is a serious crime with serious consequences. As it stands now, I cannot imagine parents allowing their daughter to attend Notre Dame, where your priority is so obviously to protect the criminal.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

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