Stop Rape and Sexual Assault Now!

In the words of Dr. King: “No Lie Can Live Forever”

 
I am here to let the truth prevail. My name is Aarefah Mosavi. I was raped on the campus farm of Mount San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) by a student-co-worker on the night of December 12, 2013. After 4+ years of legal preparation, depositions, hearings, marches, protests, and tribunals, I will finally be taking the man who raped me to trial in just a few short weeks in August 2018.

My first pre-trial hearing will be July 30 at 11:00am at the Federal Courthouse, 350 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Courtroom 5A (Judge Fitzgerald). The rapist’s attorney is attempting to ban any mention of the word “rape” and any mention of the #Metoo movement at the trial. I will not be deterred. I will not allow anyone or any court to stifle the truth of the rape Brown committed against me. Any and all support that you can provide by coming to the hearing and the trial, sharing my story with others, and donating to our legal fund is needed and truly appreciated.


Background:

On the night of Dec. 12, 2013, the assailant began by groping and molesting me as he forced his hands under my clothes against my will and without my consent. He then pinned me against a wall—with my face pressed against the wall and my back facing him—and he used his hand to rape me.  

The Mount San Antonio College administration allowed this rapist to continue to work and attend classes without consequence and without informing me. This administration claimed they were fair when they used irrelevant, favoritism-laden, biased accounts of his supervisor and friends to exonerate him when none of them were present on the night I was raped by him. The college's administrators including the President and "CEO," the Title IX Coordinator, the Vice President of Human Resources, and the public safety officer who was handling the investigation failed to grant me my right to interview my witnesses after promising me they would.

This administration neglected my concerns when I complained of encountering the rapist several times throughout the investigation. They claimed to have done “careful scheduling” when they allowed the rapist to continue to work in the same building I attended classes. The Title IX coordinator dismissed my concerns and said only to report if he touched me or said anything to me. In other words, I had to wait until I would be re-victimized and raped again for the coordinator to do her job.
 
On April 4, 2014, the Title IX coordinator appallingly told me to simulate the rape on the other administrator who was present and who was supposed to take notes—where I had to assume the role of the rapist. When I expressed extreme discomfort in being forced to reenact the triggering experience, the administration used that against me in their determination, and later claimed that I did not cooperate with their investigation.  

The administration did not interview my witnesses before closing their investigation, including another former co-worker who was sexually harassed and religiously discriminated against by Brown months before he would target me. This administration refused to give me copies of paperwork throughout their investigation. This administration did not comply with Federal Standards as stipulated under Title IX of the United States Constitution. This administration—like the rapist—deceived me into thinking I could trust them, but they deliberately betrayed me for their self-interests.

This administration continues to cover for the rapist by intimidating campus community members who wish to join me in the fight for justice. In their covering for the rapist, this administration has joined the ranks of 106 college administrations that have soullessly engaged in this institutionalized crime against humanity. Colleges like these exonerate rapists and illegally down-play the prevalence of assault on their campuses to save their reputations. The harrowing reality is that 1 in 5 women are victims of sexual assault and rape on college campuses . Mount San Antonio College "proudly" acknowledges that it is home to over 50,000 students: I know I am not the only rape survivor on that campus, and so does this administration.

This administration offered the rapist police protection, and they have harassed and intimidated my supporters who truly stand on the right side of justice on the one hand and then appallingly claim to protect survivors on the other. In doing so, this administration has violated my civil rights and the civil rights of unsuspecting students.  The only things that damage the reputation of colleges are criminals like the assailant who raped me, and those unscrupulous hypocrites who cover for them.

I have since gone public against the college administrators and the rapist, and I am currently suing all of them for stripping me of my liberties and for desecrating my dignity. The funds raised will be used to cover the costs of my fight for justice in litigating my lawsuit against the Mt. SAC administration and the rapist.

Recently, Judge Fitzgerald issued a shocking ruling in favor of the Mt. SAC administration’s argument that they should not be part of this lawsuit despite evidence that clearly shows the college neglected my rights under Title IX. If left unchallenged, this judge’s decision will set a dangerous precedent that will jeopardize the rights of students across college campuses. We are 1 in 5, and we will not be deterred. We are appealing that ruling to the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals to demand that administrators who protect sexual predators and foster a hostile campus climate for women and other survivors be held accountable.

My wish is to ignite that beacon of hope that so many survivors before me so desperately sought in their moment of darkness. I ask that you join me in rekindling that promise. To my supporters: you are heroes. This fight is not just about me. While Over 17.7 million women have been victims of rape, and while 1 in 5 women  are expected to be victims of sexual violence, 98% of perpetrators will never spend a day in jail in the United States of America. This fight is about reclaiming the promise of justice! It is about reaffirming women’s rights and human rights! It is about crushing discrimination, sexism, and corruption, and those hypocrites who prosper from the suffering of others! As a rape survivor, my appreciation goes out to you! Thank you.