A Dozen Female Victims Sue Liberty University Over Abuse Policies

One thing I’ve observed over the past few years is that when an institution, sacred or secular, has a disaster regarding sexual assault, they always make about the same kind of mistakes. It starts with not believing the matter is as big an issue as it is and not taking it to legal authorities (it’s almost always criminally punishable), and that leads institutions to think that they can ‘handle it inside.”

A corresponding error institutions make when they mishandle allegations is to look too much at the surrounding events—alcohol or drugs, being out after curfew, being dressed immodestly, being in dicey neighborhoods, being in an opposite sex room, etc..—and then (especially in evangelical and fundamental institutions) punishing the surrounding factors instead of the big crimes. This was in play with BJU, ABWE, New Tribes, and a lot more, and now may be in play at Liberty.

The sad thing is that everybody’s making the same mistakes, but the hopeful thing is that if we correct these mistakes (easier said than done), we’ve got a great opportunity to lead to a lot of healing.

(side note; I don’t know for sure how this will shake out, but I’m guessing that they’ve got a reasonably good case)