MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Wednesday, a Mooresville college student could be thrown out of UNC Chapel Hill, after her alleged attacker filed a complaint against her.
Landen Gambill accused her boyfriend of rape in 2012.
Instead of going to police, Gambill said the university convinced her to go through what is called a student honor court made up of students that handle misconduct.
They found her boyfriend not guilty, and now, that same honor court has accused Gambill of harassing her ex-boyfriend.
"It is as if now the university wants to punish the victim," said her father, Steve Gambill.
His daughter has been speaking out for victims' rights since her allegations last year.
Now, a student court says her boyfriend is the victim too.
"Saying that my speaking out about the university's mistreatment of sexual assault survivors had created an 'intimidating environment' for him on campus," said Landen Gambill to CNN.
As a maximum punishment, she could be expelled.
"I thought the university would have a better appreciation of her First Amendment rights to free speech. And she has never named her abuser," said Steve Gambill.
Landen Gambill said she was encouraged to handle her allegation through the university, not police.
Eyewitness News asked her father if he thinks that was done to gloss over reports of sexual assaults on campus.
"I have no other conclusions to make," he said.
Landen Gambill is part of a group that has filed a federal lawsuit against UNC over all of this. She thinks that led to the new charge, which she calls retaliation.
"It's an issue of the way this university sees sexual assault survivors as a threat and people that need to be silenced," she told CNN.
UNC said students -- not administrators -- decide who will face charges.
The school also said, "No student has ever been disciplined for reporting a sexual assault or any honor code violation," and said the students in the honor court "have been trained on making appropriate charge decisions." The university says it is "confident in our students' professionalism and commitment."
Steve Gambill did not want to talk about whether his daughter may still file charges through the police.
As for her case, she will find out after this week when her honor court hearing will take place.
WSOC
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
