This reads as a terrible indictment of the Athletic Department and the services intended to protect sexual assault victims. If accurate, it looks like it’s time to open up the checkbook. I would also be curious to know what systems changes have taken place to avoid repeating these alleged problems. For those folks who have been jumping all over John Becker and suggesting he should be held accountable in some way, I don’t read a specific assertions about misconduct by him.
Lawsuit: UVM Mishandled Rape Allegation Against Basketball Star Anthony Lamb
Updated on December 9, 2022. Former University of Vermont men’s basketball star and current NBA player Anthony Lamb has been accused in a civil lawsuit...www.sevendaysvt.com
Lawsuit filed in Burlington. Lamb is named.
I'm sure most of your terrible takes on the subject will continue or get worse upon reading this (I can already envision how most of you are going to badly reply), but here it is for you to read.
Rape at Vermont
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I'd say the line regarding him sitting outside the room when Ware exited after recounting her rape to Schulman and others is pretty damning in the sense it certainly did not make Ware feel like she was going to be supported and believed. As noted in the article, much of the fear coming forward was Lamb's celebrity status as a player and how the public would react. The most well-known, and single most powerful person in the athletic department is John Becker purely because of his "importance" to the school and its most popular sport (and yes, that includes his own boss Schulman - no different than the basketball or football coach at bigger schools).
What was discussed by Schulman and Becker after Ware left the room (outside the obvious of apprising him of the case)? That will be telling. It is naive to think it was strictly procedural.
Yes. There are also other defendants on the case citing UVM's horrendous Title IX office handling of two other cases. One involves a fraternity, the other a club tennis player. In the suit itself, Ware has identified Lamb as her assailant publicly for the first time, so in that case, it is new information relevant to the story, and understandable why he'd be used in the headline.
From the original Burlington Free Press article on Ware, it was clear her ire was toward the administration and this mislead response to her allegations*, and she is 100% right in that regard. Your response is correct. Schulman and Balogh shouldn't have jobs anymore. Sadly, as has been discussed quite a bit on here, colleges do everything they can to circle the wagons and protect themselves first over sexual violence on campus through their shoddy Title IX processes. That's what happened here, and unfortunately, I don't see their jobs being in any jeopardy. No "real" (see, university stakeholders with $$$) are upset by it, and most, probably feel completely okay with what transpired. Others, simply moved on, so out of sight out of mind. That to me is the worst part: no real accountability or consequences faced, effectively got people to ignore it. Simply having an edict not to mention Anthony Lamb's NBA exploits on their social media is literally the only thing...aka, something completely inconsequential as his accolades are stuffed in game notes for TV and media personalities to highlight.
*It also doesn't help when news like this also drops and you see why women don't report. This case was a pretty thorough one too in terms of accusations and accounts/statements about the former Bills kicker: Araiza, ex-SDSU players not charged in rape case
One thing that stuck out to me that I guess I hadn’t fully realized before was the section that states “Ware’s coaches informed her that she would need to speak with Krista Balogh….”. Key word being “need”. And that her own coaches told her that.
I suppose maybe there was an internal / informal understanding that that’s how these things are supposed to proceed, or more likely the swim coaches asked and were told that by the department. But otherwise I’m confused about why that’s presented to her as the mandatory first stop in a situation like this. Skill set and role don’t seem to match up well on the surface. In fact, in a situation like this, if you have a choice between Balogh and the squirrel in your back yard, I think it might be a toss up.
I‘m not saying that this somehow magically gets handled perfectly if that first step is different (the rest of the fact pattern doesn’t support that very well), and I’m certainly not implying that Ware’s own coaches were not legitimately trying to do the right thing. But it just seems that if you were to set up a process to fail from the start, this is a pretty good way to do it.
I suppose maybe there was an internal / informal understanding that that’s how these things are supposed to proceed, or more likely the swim coaches asked and were told that by the department. But otherwise I’m confused about why that’s presented to her as the mandatory first stop in a situation like this. Skill set and role don’t seem to match up well on the surface. In fact, in a situation like this, if you have a choice between Balogh and the squirrel in your back yard, I think it might be a toss up.
I‘m not saying that this somehow magically gets handled perfectly if that first step is different (the rest of the fact pattern doesn’t support that very well), and I’m certainly not implying that Ware’s own coaches were not legitimately trying to do the right thing. But it just seems that if you were to set up a process to fail from the start, this is a pretty good way to do it.
Balogh is the swim team's sport administrator. She is technically the direct report for the swim coaches for admin issues and such in the chain of command. Does she deserve to be in the position she is in? Not in the slightest. Those who know why she's there know why she's there and has been enabled as she has been. But, as for the "need" - she got involved in the capacity as a supervisor of the swim program on the administrative side. In the case, Ware was ready to go with the formal investigation until Balogh was informed and stopped her to convince her otherwise. It's pretty open and shut there.
My feeling is the swim coaches were just as confused what to do and thought they were trying to help (which is why the process across the entire school needs to be changed, as this is a common theme)...thinking you know....someone from higher up would actually help, and they were failed just as much in a sense.
Also in case you AM crowd don't know why this is being talked about again:
www.sevendaysvt.com
Lawsuit: UVM Mishandled Rape Allegation Against Basketball Star Anthony Lamb
Updated on December 9, 2022. Former University of Vermont men’s basketball star and current NBA player Anthony Lamb has been accused in a civil lawsuit...
OK, that makes more sense, at least procedurally if not functionally. And I’m thinking maybe that’s been explained somewhere further back in this thread and I didn’t catch it.
Can someone get a copy of the complaint that was filed so we can take look at it? As is the norm in almost any lawsuit, the complaint is usually a 'throw everything against the wall and see what sticks" type of document, but still would be interesting to read.
Interesting that Lamb was not named individually as a defendant. I get that there are two issues here, namely (1) rape accusations, and (2) the school's response to them, but still, I would think a plaintiff who feels wronged would go after everyone. Especially now that Lamb's pockets must be a bit deeper than they were several months ago.
I assume Vermont has a civil statute of limitations with regard to bringing a civil claim against an alleged rapist. If so, time might be ticking to bring such a suit.
Interesting that Lamb was not named individually as a defendant. I get that there are two issues here, namely (1) rape accusations, and (2) the school's response to them, but still, I would think a plaintiff who feels wronged would go after everyone. Especially now that Lamb's pockets must be a bit deeper than they were several months ago.
I assume Vermont has a civil statute of limitations with regard to bringing a civil claim against an alleged rapist. If so, time might be ticking to bring such a suit.
What an extremely cynical thing to say. Makes a lot of assumptions too. But, not surprised. I figured a line like this would come.
Ware has been quite consistent the entire time that she foremost is going after the school. Even back in the original article, this was stated:
Lamb should have to answer and be accountable for what he did (like, maybe owning up to it and doing a true restorative process that wasn't shambolic). But yeah, let's make gold digger accusations.
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It's despicable.
Sorry that you don't understand how lawsuits work and don't understand the legal system. Which surprises me, because you act like you know everything.
As for gold-digger accusations, I made none. However, she did file a civil suit requesting unspecified damages, which means money. I highly doubt her attorneys (who most likely are working on a contingency basis) are advising her not to go for big bucks. And if the school did what she is accusing them of, then she deserves it.
Twist my post any way you want. Not that you need my permission, because you would do that anyways.
As for gold-digger accusations, I made none. However, she did file a civil suit requesting unspecified damages, which means money. I highly doubt her attorneys (who most likely are working on a contingency basis) are advising her not to go for big bucks. And if the school did what she is accusing them of, then she deserves it.
Twist my post any way you want. Not that you need my permission, because you would do that anyways.
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As of right now Lamb is only signed to a two-way deal, which pays $508K. Seems like that could change given his role on the team/maybe it has already but would figure there would be an announcement if so.
After Joe Biden takes his cut, that does not leave a tremendous amount left over/$500K is solidly middle class in many parts of the country in 2022. Certainly the Bay Area is one of those parts.
Certainly he doesn't have middle-class family expenses right now, still Lamb is far from wealthy, at this point in his career.
After Joe Biden takes his cut, that does not leave a tremendous amount left over/$500K is solidly middle class in many parts of the country in 2022. Certainly the Bay Area is one of those parts.
Certainly he doesn't have middle-class family expenses right now, still Lamb is far from wealthy, at this point in his career.
I know what a civil suit is about. Tell me why did you imply that you were surprised she wasn't going after Lamb, and then make specific reference to his finances when it has been clear from the beginning, she has been going after the school, and not Lamb? When, as stated above, Lamb is not where you will find the money for damages. The school is. The school that harmed Ware (and the two others on the suit - important detail here in understanding WHY Lamb wasn't listed on the case) just as much as their assailants did.
Even if I were to give you the benefit of the doubt, do you not understand how a statement like that sounds? How the idea that "she's just after the guys money" is a huge reason why rape culture exists, and why many are fearful of coming forward because they'll get labeled as such?
You said what you said. It was cynical, given what the case has always been about, and what this filing is about.
You state that the school harmed her just as much as Lamb did. I am not sure you are in a position to quantify the level of harm done to her by each party, but let's just assume you are correct that she is or feels harmed equally by both. Why only go after one? I would.
If I am not in a position to quantify the level of harm done to her by each party, what position are you in to say where Kendall Ware should direct a civil suit?
Again, Kendall Ware is one of 3 plaintiffs suing UVM for its Title IX practices regarding sexual assault. So, if a civil suit comes against Lamb, it would come in a separate suit, as would be the case for the other two, who were sexually assaulted by the same person, who is not Anthony Lamb. But, as stated and documented in numerous sources, Ware's focus is on the school, and that has been consistent since the start.
One thing you won't find me questioning? How a victim of sexual assault as a result of a failed reporting system chooses to find their own sense of recourse or closure. It has been stated here many times why victims of rape and sexual assault don't bring any type of charges or suits against their abuser. I'd advise taking that under consideration in an empathetic manner, not one that seems on its surface that you are attempting to poke holes in a survivor's logic.
Again, you show your ability to twist and misstate things. I never said what she should do. I said I was interested in why she did not, and that I would have. Stop grasping at straws and making stuff up.
2 bottom lines here: (1) You have an axe to grind with UVM and have already concluded that they did exactly what the lawsuit says they did, and (2) if they did do this, I think everyone here agrees they should be held fully accountable (and Lamb should be as well if he did what he is accused of). The difference between you and me is that I believe in the rule of law and the process, whereas you do not.
As an add-on to that, it is not accusing someone of gold digging to clean out some prick who raped you or to do the same to an institution that covered it up. In that event, they both deserve it, and the victim deserves to be compensated as best the law will allow, which in a civil lawsuit in generally monetary damages. Furthermore, the rapist deserves to be charged criminally. To me, that would have even more of a chilling effect on other potential rapists than a money award.
Note: Edited to fix a typo
2 bottom lines here: (1) You have an axe to grind with UVM and have already concluded that they did exactly what the lawsuit says they did, and (2) if they did do this, I think everyone here agrees they should be held fully accountable (and Lamb should be as well if he did what he is accused of). The difference between you and me is that I believe in the rule of law and the process, whereas you do not.
As an add-on to that, it is not accusing someone of gold digging to clean out some prick who raped you or to do the same to an institution that covered it up. In that event, they both deserve it, and the victim deserves to be compensated as best the law will allow, which in a civil lawsuit in generally monetary damages. Furthermore, the rapist deserves to be charged criminally. To me, that would have even more of a chilling effect on other potential rapists than a money award.
Note: Edited to fix a typo
Okay, thank you. Genuinely. That helps clear things up from your perspective. Some of the language you used did not fully represent the stance above and was rather charged especially in cases of sexual assault and domestic violence and the stereotypes against victims associated with it. This post rectifies a portion of that, but I appreciate you taking the time to fortify your stance in a clearer manner.
(Edit: Grammar)
The easy answer is that her lawyers have told her it is a lot easier to prove the case against the morons in the athletic department. There are likely documents of the meetings and possible witnesses to question. Much harder to prove a case against someone where there are no witnesses or physical evidence likely collected.
Kendall Ware sues UVM over handling of sexual assault investigation against Anthony Lamb
The civil lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday and accuses the University of Vermont of mishandling sexual assault investigations.
www.burlingtonfreepress.com
There is some newer information in there as well at the bottom.
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