DENVER – Sixteen women’s and civil rights groups filed briefs with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, attempting to reinstate a lawsuit by two women against the University of Colorado (CU).
The two women, Lisa Simpson and another woman whose name is not publicly known, say they were assaulted at an off-campus party in 2001 by CU football players or recruits. No sexual assault charges were ever filed.
Their lawsuit claims the school violated the federal Title IX law by fostering an atmosphere allowing sexual harassment by student athletes. The plaintiffs say this atmosphere led to the attacks.
The lawsuit had earlier been dismissed because the judge in the case ruled the women failed to prove that the university either knew about the sexual harassment or was deliberately indifferent to any known sexual harassment.
The plaintiffs’ newest briefs say other women’s previous rape allegations put the school on notice that there was a significant risk to students. CU officials say, however, that there were no new arguments to the case.
