When I read about the allegations of rampant sexual violence in the Northwestern University football program, I was horrified. But sadly, I wasn’t surprised. As a cheerleader, I, too, was a victim of sexual abuse and harassment at Northwestern University, and school officials did nothing to stop it.
From 2018 to 2019, I was groped by drunken fans and alumni in public at football games. At university donor events, older men touched me inappropriately, picked me up without my consent and made sexual remarks about my appearance. And when I complained about the harassment to my head coach — who required me to “mingle” with donors for the school’s financial benefit — she did absolutely nothing.
So, while I was saddened to read about my alma mater’s football team, I was not shocked in the least that these activities allegedly were permitted. The abuse of Northwestern football and cheerleading teams didn’t happen in isolation. There shouldn’t be anyone asking, “How could this happen?” Of course, it happened. The choices that created this toxic culture of sexual abuse occurred thousands of times over decades. And it is conditioned to continue repeating itself until the risk is so significant, it has to end.
