A former Texas Christian University student has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages, alleging the university grossly mishandled her report of being raped by another student in October 2024.
The anonymous plaintiff, identified as Emily Doe, claims TCU’s Title IX office took no action on her complaint until she obtained legal counsel. She says the office then imposed only minimal punishment on the alleged perpetrator.
According to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Virginia, where the plaintiff resides, the punishment given to the accused student consisted of writing a short essay and reviewing orientation materials. The plaintiff’s attorney, Thomas Wolf, argued the university’s response was wholly inadequate.
“The facts of this case demonstrate a shocking disregard for the safety and well-being of TCU’s female students,” Wolf stated.
The lawsuit paints a picture of systemic failures in TCU’s handling of sexual assault cases. Court documents allege that fewer than 5% of sexual assault incidents reported between August 2020 and December 2024 led to formal investigations. The claim is based on the university’s own Board of Trustees reports.
During that semester, TCU received over 60 sexual assault and rape reports. Only three cases proceeded to formal investigation.
Emily Doe’s complaint alleges that TCU’s inadequate response represents institutional discrimination that creates an unsafe environment for female students. The lawsuit characterizes the university’s approach as fundamentally flawed in its priorities.
“Rather than protect female students from being raped, TCU adopted a policy to protect male students who rape,” the complaint alleges, per Fort Worth Report.
The case adds to growing scrutiny of how universities balance due process rights with victim protection in sexual assault cases. Federal courts have seen increasing numbers of lawsuits from both accusers and accused students challenging university disciplinary processes in recent years.
TCU responded to the allegations, stating that the university takes allegations of sexual assault seriously.
“TCU’s first priority is always to protect the safety and well-being of our students, thus allowing them to focus on their education,” the university said in a statement to KERA News. “To that end, TCU follows all applicable regulations and laws [that] apply to our student conduct process.”