On February 20, 2015 a UC Davis senior was arrested and charged with rape for a crime committed on October 18-19, 2014. He plead not guilty at his arraignment. For six months the girl he assaulted lived in fear due to the pending trial. His defense attorney hired a private investigator which left her feeling trapped and terrified to leave her own home. This private investigator called friends and told them of her allegations at a time where she was not sharing this information. She was further traumatized every single day and suddenly with no warning the charges were dropped one week before a preliminary hearing and the district attorney told her "we'll get him next time."

The university found him in violation on three counts: sexual assault, physical abuse and sexual harassment. The accused student disagreed with the findings and requested a formal hearing. On March 6, a six hour hearing took place on campus where the victim essentially represented herself. The accused student had an attorney and remained silent throughout the ordeal. For six hours the victim felt like she was being put on the stand and treated like a criminal. The defense attorney asked witnesses questions that focused on the victim's personal life as well as hearsay causing undue distress to the victim. The Hearing Officer, again, substantiated the victim's claims through a fact-finding process and recommended dismissal. In April, he was dismissed from the university by Associate Vice Chancellor Lora Jo. However, on July 19, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Adela De La Torre amended the disciplinary sanctions to a suspension and refused to disclose her reasoning. 

The school has found him in violation through a fact-finding investigation, a formal hearing, as well as on appeal. He should not be let back on this campus!

The survivor and members of the community who support her demand that:

-the assailant be expelled
-there be an increase in transparency in the adjudication process for cases involving sexual assault
-a minimum required sentence be put in place for those found responsible for violations of sexual assault policies