A former high school student at Concord High School in Concord, N.H. has filed a lawsuit against the district, alleging they failed to sufficiently investigate her sexual assault.

This incident of sexual assault on a minor allegedly occurred in late 2017 on a school bus, when the former student was a junior. The day after a boy on the bus allegedly groped her and sexually assaulted her on November 29, 2017, she reported the incident to school administrators. But the administrators reportedly took months to investigate the report and, in the meantime, she continued to run into this boy in her day-to-day life. After she reported the assault, she says, he threatened her.

The girl’s attorney said that the months-long school investigation found that, “although the sexual assault was unwelcome contact,” the student who assaulted her did not violate the school’s sexual harassment policy, “because (the victim) froze during the assault instead of saying no or asking him to stop.”

Indeed, not only did the school find that the perpetrator’s actions did not violate school policy—to prevent future confrontations between those involved, school staff coached the girl on ways to avoid the boy, namely taking less-used hallways and stairwells. The attorney wrote that this “incorrectly, and in direct contradiction to federal law, shifted the burden of responsibility of a sexual assault from the perpetrator to the victim.”

The school denies the claims brought forward in this girl’s lawsuit, maintaining that its assault investigation into the alleged sexual assault on a minor was “thorough and complete.”

The girl and her family filed this lawsuit in spring 2018, and claims include Title IX violations and negligence.

This is not the first time the school officials in Concord have been accused of insufficiently responding to allegations of harassment and assault. This past December, three female students reported to the school that they witnessed a special education teacher kissing one of the other students at the school inside a car. While the school district also investigated the alleged incident, it did not notify the police.

Later, the teacher involved in this incident, Primo “Howie” Leung, was arrested and charged with the repeated sexual assault on a minor (this time, a middle school student) at a boarding school in Massachusetts. He is now awaiting trial on charges of rape.

Filing a Sexual Assault Lawsuit

While the girl in this New Hampshire case reported the assault the day after it occurred, it can in many cases take years or decades for victims of sexual assault on a minor to disclose what happened to them, often for fear that people won’t believe them or that they will be retaliated against.

If you are a victim of sexual assault in New Hampshire or anywhere else in the United States—whether it occurred last month or years ago—you may be able to file a lawsuit. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by abuse and assault, but it can at least help to provide monetary compensation and hold those responsible for your pain accountable for their actions. Filing a lawsuit over sexual abuse can be emotionally difficult, but Top Class Actions can connect you with experienced sexual abuse lawyers that can help you navigate this litigation and maximize your compensation.

Join a Free Sexual Assault Lawsuit Investigation

If you were a victim of sexual assault by any person in an athletic, school, medical, or employment setting, you are entitled to a free case evaluation to find out your potential remedies and compensation. Fill out the FREE form on this page for more information.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.