FETI stands for "Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview." According to its website:

• The Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI®) provides interviewers with a science-informed interviewing framework that maximizes opportunities for information collection and accurately documents the participant's experience in a neutral, equitable, and fair manner.

But a lawsuit recently filed against the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota paints a different picture. The case involves two students, "Jane" and "John." Jane accused John of non-consensual sexual contact. The local DA declined to prosecute the case. Then the university did its FETI investigation, and decided to suspend John 

According to the lawsuit, University investigators underwent extensive FETI training which emphasized that the deliberate omission of information and inconsistency is proof that an accusing student has been victimized. 

Specifically, University training materials allegedly stated investigators and adjudicators should automatically believe accusing students even if they “provide inconsistent explanations of the assault” or “deliberately omit details” related to the allegations.

As a result:

• Jane made several misrepresentations of fact to the FETI investigator. For example, she claimed that she checked the door of her dormitory to make sure it was locked. But security camera footage showed her statement was false. But the University investigative report did not reveal this fact.
• The university discouraged the accused student’s counsel from conducting his own investigation because this would “hurt the witnesses’ credibility.”

Have you had any experiences with a FETI investigation? Was it "neutral, equitable, and fair"? Or was it just another name for "always believe the victim, no matter what she says or does?"

We'd like to hear from you.