Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. has had a history of making it difficult for students to report sexual assault or rape.
This Christian university was established in 1971 and founded by Jerry Falwell. This university remains one of the largest private evangelical institutions in the world.
Several women, especially in recent years, have attempted to report sexual assault, violence, and rape, however, there is a school prohibition against drinking and fraternizing with the opposite sex. If students are caught doing these activities, they risk the chance of getting kicked out.
Elizabeth Axley is just one of the many sexual assault survivors that have attended Liberty University.
Back in 2017, Axley attended a party off-campus with some friends and became intoxicated. Axley says she does not remember much of the night, until waking up to a fellow student on top of her with his hand over her mouth.
The next day Axley called campus police and told them what had happened to her. After that, she was taken to a local hospital where it was documented she had 15 bruises, welts, and lacerations on her arm, face, and torso.
As if that was not enough evidence, Axley also had messages between her and her friend where they spoke about how intoxicated she was and how according to her friend, her abuser “completely knew what he was doing”. In the messages, her friend also mentions how he was “all over her” at the party they attended.
Once reported, Elysa Bucci was the Liberty staff official that took over her case. Axley claimed that instead of trying to help her, Bucci was almost putting the fault on her by asking things such as why she attended the party and how much alcohol she had consumed.
There are several cases that are similar to Axleys and when ProPublica attempted to reach out to Liberty University, they did not respond.
Interviews with more than 50 former Liberty students and staffers, as well as records from more than a dozen cases, show how staff officials often enforce sexual purity and end up discouraging or even shaming women for reporting cases of sexual assault.
A lawsuit filed in July by 12 women was followed by extreme concern, frustration, and calls for action on social media. A petition demanding that Liberty change how it handles sexual assaults gained hundreds of signatures in a few days.
Scott Lamb, who was Liberty’s communications chief, had brought this matter up to officials multiple times but always got shot down.
Since then, Lamb has been fired.
Marquie Peyton
Intern