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Subscribe to RSSMISSOULA, Mont. – The U.S. Department of Justice unveiled a broad probe Tuesday into complaints that authorities were failing to aggressively investigate sexual assault reports in Missoula, citing more than 80 reported rapes there during the past three years.
The investigation includes a review of the handling of sexual assault and harassment reports at the University of Montana at Missoula, where at least 11 student-related sex assault cases have surfaced in recent months.
At least two members of the university's Big Sky Conference champion football team, the Grizzlies, have been accused of rape, leading to the recent dismissal of the football coach and the school's athletic director.
A central thrust of the federal investigation will focus on complaints that local law enforcement has failed to properly investigate and prosecute sexual assaults on women in Missoula due to gender discrimination, the justice department said.
"The allegations that the University of Montana, the local police department and the county attorney's office failed to adequately address sexual assaults are very disturbing," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.
Full story at KECI, NBC Montana
Local authorities said the incidence of rape in Missoula, a western Montana city of 86,000 people, is on par with similarly sized college towns, and the county's chief prosecutor questioned the Justice Department's rationale for its inquiry.
The investigation comes in the midst of an election year in which women's issues have moved to the forefront as candidates seek to burnish their credentials among female voters.
The Justice Department probe will examine the inner workings of the university's public safety office, the Missoula Police Department and the Missoula County Attorney's Office.
Additionally, the department will review whether the university is complying with federal laws specifically barring sex discrimination, defined as including sexual assault and sexual harassment, in education programs, officials said.
Details of the investigation were announced at a news conference in Missoula, whose economy and identity are closely entwined with the state's flagship research institution.
"There are a lot of women in the community who have strong concerns about the manner in which sexual assaults have been handled," said Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
Missoula Police Chief Mark Muir acknowledged his department had received roughly 80 rape reports in the past three years. But he said that on a per-capita basis, that figure was at or below the average level of reported rapes for U.S. college towns of similar size and makeup.
Muir, who said his department would cooperate with the inquiry, said he did not know how many of those reports had resulted in criminal charges being filed. Justice Department officials said they will be delving into that very question.
Missoula County's chief prosecutor, Fred Van Valkenburg, fiercely defended his office and the local police, calling the Justice Department probe an "overreach by the federal government."
"I have no reason to believe (police) violated anyone's rights," he said, adding that his office had no choice but to cooperate given "the heavy hand of a federal government that refuses to tell us what we supposedly have done wrong."
However, for Missoula business and university boosters, the investigation is an unwelcome development.
Administrators and business leaders say they worry about fallout from the Justice Department probe and six months of news about sex assault investigations tied to the university. From the fall of 2010 to fall of 2011, full-time student enrollment dropped by 2 percent.
NBC Montana and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Hmmmm... 80 rapes in 3 years or Secret Service traning under the Obama plan?????
This is a case about rape what does Obama have to do with this Howlin'MadMac? On second thought, don't even bother answering.
to: unkn0wn1
"If you're from California you should be used to being glared at" -
That's a interesting statement -
How about this statement?
Hey unkn0wn1 - You must be from Montana - Then you should be used to being known as complete douche bag - Stop having sex with your animals and family members -
DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH
(school reps)
nothing happening here
This is nothing new. Football players have been getting away with rape, assault, armed robbery, drug use, car theft, etc., for decades, and typically since they were young boys ... just because they can play football.
Nice to be on par... jerks...
Once again,arm yourselves ladies and always remember --the only good scumbag rapist is a dead scumbag rapist. I have taught several females how to eliminate these scumbags forever. There is no better sight than to see a dead scumbag rapist lying there with his pants down!!!!
The headline is misleading. There were not 80 rapes on campus. There were 80 rapes in Missoula, not at the University of Montana, in 3 years. That said, there should be no rapes at all ever.
Heck if it was the whole state that is a lot for a state with what 100,000 people period? And the town has to be about as big as a watering hole.
WHT3, the state has about a milllion people and Missoula county had 109,000 in 2010. 80 rapes over 3 years in a population of 109,000 is lower than the national average.
XBONZ wrote:
Oh yea...because there are SO-OO many news stories and government investigations on the sexual assualt in non-white areas. Its in the news everyday,right?
When was the last time anyone read a story about rape in black or hispanic communities? Rarely if ever. Do you really think that is because rape, sexual assualt, sexual harassment, and child molestation DON'T happen there? Or do you figure millions of hits on YOUTUBE for "Bedroom Intruder" from laughing whites constitutes an investigation.
Be glad this was a white, college town in Wyoming. These women could have it worse.
Why doesn't the DOJ investigate the failure of the US Government to do its Constitution duty of securing the borders. Failure to do so has allowed illegal workers to steal money from legal workers. The failure also has allowed illegal drugs to flood the country.
Why don't you ask Tyson and the farmers and the home builders to quit hiring illegals and they will go home?
Typical Republican state where women are owned.....almost like a Utah, Mormon cult.
ahhh! A troll...
it took three friggin years to investigate this? in montana huh...? go figure. good ol christian values red state.
In a liberal stronghold of a town. You know nothing of the situation, obviously.
I think the police should do more to handle this, but 80 rapes in 3 years is not the worst- not for the area (the rapes were covering the area/town, not the college). Its terrible and is a high count, but do you think inner cities or low income rural areas have better rates?
In this age where lots of you on these message boards think its reverse discrimination to declare crime as being specific to one group, I'm disturbed that few are complaining about the DOJ cheating men who are victims of violence simply because they are men and it MAY not involve sex.
You need to be consistant. Is it OK to investigate crime as race or gender specific or should we say "so what? Who cares if the victims happen to be women and sex is involved? Crime is crime! And men and boys get rapes too."
Very good observation.
Cowboys are rapists.
They feel they are "free" to treat women anyway they want..like a Mitt Romney, Mormon cultist.
Troll
I don't know a single cowboy and I have lived in Missoula all of my life. You're clearly confused about Montana.
I thought that right wing Red state middle class folks drink beer, smoke camels and have sex with cows or their sister, who may be a cow,
Troll
The overly defensive response by the county prosecutor clearly points to one source of the problem. Instead of acknowledging that there is a problem and welcoming an objective and independent review, he whines about "bullying" by the feds and being forced to do whatever they want. Well, news flash, if rape and sexual assault complaints were actually investigated and there is a solid rationale for failure to prosecute, the county attorney has nothing to worry about. The feds are not looking to "second guess" every prosecutorial decision. They are only involved where there is a large body of evidence that suggests that there is biased treatment of cases, such as 80 instances of reported rape or sexual assault and almost no prosecutions. In such situations, local prosecution NEEDS to be second guessed.
The mentality that "boys will be boys" or that "the women were probably asking for it" NEED to be challenged. If that requires federal intervention, so be it!
"and almost no prosecutions. " -- There is no evidence that this is the case.
smarty_cat. Not all men give lip service and then place their women on the bottom of the totem pole. I have three daughters, a beautiful wife and a loving mother who have been treated like the daughters of God should be treated. Don't include me and many other good men in your "opinion" about relationships. Now, lets turn this around and ask, "How many women out there treat their men like they don't exist and expect the world to be dropped at their feet?" It isn't all about dysfunctional men.
Anyone seen a photo of the football team ? Do Al & Jesse need to mount up and head to Big Sky country ?
Quite possibly could be that who they seek is a law enforcement officer.
These sort of things never happened when I went to school in Montana; however, sheep were unexplainably nervous and the sound of zippers would make them stampede. :)
If this story offers anything it is PARENTS BE AWARE!!!
Wow.. not even a hint of concern that this is happening.. nothing!! except for the last part and that pretty much sums it up for this jerkoff doesn't it... same ole same ole... Comes down to the money....
"I have no reason to believe (police) violated anyone's rights," he said, adding that his office had no choice but to cooperate given "the heavy hand of a federal government that refuses to tell us what we supposedly have done wrong."
However, for Missoula business and university boosters the investigation is an unwelcome development.
Administrators and business leaders say they worry about fallout from the justice department probe and six months of news about sex assault investigations tied to the university. From the fall of 2010 to fall of 2011, full-time student enrollment dropped by two percent.
What's disturbing here is' if those numbers are "on par" with similar demographics, we have a national problem here. What an eye opener for me. Why aren't womens groups all over the country screaming about this. This is totally unacceptable in any community.
The future of this once great country. Morals have gone to hell. People in positions to lead only sell out for their own greed. Pitiful state we have become.
80 rapes in 3 years?? What in the world has gotten into those people.
Perhaps we should disarm all males and arm all women and teach them how to shoot. What in the hell is the matter with men?
We're talking about Montana here Kathryn. We all own guns and know how to shoot. Rape is not an act of sex, it's an act of control and violence towards the woman. We may have a mess in the college town, but it will be dealt with.