Editors’ note: This story contains accounts of sexual assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or at https://www.rainn.org
Another anonymous former football player is suing Northwestern, this one alleging that he was a 17-year-old minor at the time he was “ran” by a group of teammates. According to the plaintiff, the practice involves a group of upperclassmen forcibly holding down (typically freshman) players and rubbing their genitals against them.
The lawsuit alleges that the anonymous player was dragged from his room by approximately five to six upperclassmen and “ran” in front of chanting teammates. The suit also alleges he was forced to go through the so-called “car wash,” in which anywhere from 10 to 20 players would stand naked at the entrance of the team’s shower and spin in circles while a new player entered between them. The suit alleges the anonymous player went through this during his first training camp with the NU team in Kenosha, Wis., in 2015.
