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The girl with the mattress

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by AroundTheWorld, May 22, 2015.

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What do you think?

  1. The girl is right - the guy raped her

    3.2%
  2. The girl is a psycho ex who is trying to take revenge

    52.4%
  3. I detect bias - need more facts

    44.4%
  1. AroundTheWorld

    Supporting Member

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    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ry-campus-alleged-rapist-expelled-school.html

    Columbia student takes rape-protest mattress to graduation while the student she accused of assault is forced to watch as he graduated alongside her
    Emma Sulkowicz carried her mattress on stage with her as she accepted her diploma

    • Paul Nungesser, the student she accuses of raping her, was at the same ceremony
    • Sulkowicz, a visual arts major, had vowed to carry her mattress on campus until he was expelled and later turned the protest into her senior project
    • Sulkowicz also refused to shake Columbia President Lee Bollinger's hand
    • Nungesser is now suing Columbia University for failing to protect him against backlash and harassment

    [​IMG]

    A Columbia University student who carried a mattress around campus to publicly accuse a fellow student of rape graduated alongside her alleged attacker on Tuesday- and took her controversial prop to the ceremony.
    Students applauded in support of Emma Sulkowicz as she carried the 50-pound bed on stage while accepting her diploma.
    The German student who Sulkowicz accuses of being a 'serial rapist' who sexually assaulted her and two other women was also at the ceremony.
    Paul Nungesser has not been charged with a crime after the district attorney's office found there was a 'lack of reasonable suspicion' and he is now suing the university.
    Sulkowicz had vowed to carry the mattress around campus until her alleged attacker was expelled - and refused to shake the hand of President Lee Bollinger as she accepted her diploma, according to the Columbia Spectator's Teo Armus.

    The artist earned course credits for carrying the mattress around as part of her senior project entitled, 'Carry that Weight' which was framed as a protest against the university's alleged tolerance of rape and other sexual assault.
    'The past year of my life has been really marked by telling people what happened in that most intimate and private space,' Sulkowicz told the Columbia Spectator in September.
    'I was raped in my own dorm bed and since then, that space has become fraught for me. I feel like I've carried the weight of what happened there since then.'

    She and 22 other students at the prestigious New York university filed a complaint last year for failing to properly handle cases of campus sexual assault.
    Sulkowicz says that she was raped her sophomore year and she and two other young women at the school reported German citizen and 'serial rapist' Nungesser as their attacker.
    He was not expelled from the institution following an internal investigation and is now suing Columbia for failing to protect him against backlash and harassment. No criminal charges have been filed after an NYPD investigation.

    Authorities rejected Emma Sulkowicz's case that Paul Nungesser assaulted her after class.
    Nonetheless, the case gathered international attention as Sulkowicz, a senior majoring in visual arts, publicly paraded her mattress in protest, calling for his indictment.
    His lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court in April, just three days after a judge tossed out another gender-based lawsuit brought by a male student against Columbia University.
    Defendants include the school, its board of trustees, President Lee C. Bollinger and Professor Jon Kessler. The lawsuit sought unspecified damages.
    'Columbia University's effective sponsorship of the gender-based harassment and defamation of Paul resulted in an intimidating, hostile, demeaning ... learning and living environment,' the lawsuit said.

    Roger Hornsby, a Columbia spokesman, said the school had no comment. Email messages requesting comment from Bollinger and Kessler were not immediately returned.
    Prior to graduation the school sent out an email banning large or heavy objects from the ceremony, reported the Columbia Spectator.
    The regulation hadn't been implemented in years but there was speculation over whether or not Sulkowicz would be able to carry her mattress with her.
    'Graduates should not bring into the ceremonial area large objects which could interfere with the proceedings or create discomfort to others in close, crowded spaces shared by thousands of people,' said the provision which was not enforced.

    In his lawsuit, Nungesser said a Columbia-owned website had presented as fact that he sexually assaulted Sulkowicz, a senior majoring in visual arts.
    It said that the school allowed Sulkowicz to carry a mattress into classes, the library and campus-provided transportation as part of her senior thesis, that Kessler approved the 'Mattress Project' for her course credit and that Sulkowicz's pledge to carry her mattress to graduation may prevent Nungesser and his parents, who'd like to fly from Germany, from participating in graduation ceremonies.
    'Day-to-day life is unbearably stressful, as Emma and her mattress parade around campus each and every day,' the suit said.
    As a result of publicity that resulted in media reports in 35 countries, the lawsuit said, Nungesser 'has been subjected to severe, pervasive ... and threatening behavior by other Columbia students, believing that Paul is a `serial rapist,' whenever Paul has appeared at university activities.'
    The complaint also said he wants to stay in the United States, where he has been dating a girlfriend for over a year, and is seeking consulting work in New York, though job prospects have been 'severely jeopardized' by the school's support of Sulkowicz.

    In an email responding to a request for comment, Sulkowicz wrote: 'I think it's ridiculous that Paul would sue not only the school but one of my past professors for allowing me to make an art piece.
    'It's ridiculous that he would read it as a `bullying strategy,' especially given his continued public attempts to smear my reputation, when really it's just an artistic expression of the personal trauma I've experienced at Columbia.
    'If artists are not allowed to make art that reflect on our experiences, then how are we to heal?'
    Sulkowicz has argued her case was badly mishandled by the school disciplinary panel after she reported in 2013 she was raped in her dorm months before.
    She was among 23 students who sued Columbia last year, saying it mishandled sexual assault cases.
    She also attended President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in January at the invitation of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.
     
  2. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    I think bullet point three is actually the other way around. In any case, Sulkowicz has stated that with both of them graduated, she feels the project is concluded; so other than Nungesser's civil lawyers the issue can probably be tabled. It's not as cut and dry as Tawana Brawley, it didn't cause as much damage as the Central Park Five or the Norfolk Four, and the complainant, while somewhat obnoxious, doesn't have the same lack of character or credibility as the Duke Lacrosse accusers or prosecutors, so I think the outrage can probably be a bit more measured.
     
  3. percicles

    percicles Contributing Member

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    Tracey Emin did it better
     
  4. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    You have to watch out who you sleep with these days, you never know when you'll end up with someone crazy like this woman.
     
  5. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Its pretty clear she lied. All the evidence points that way, plus both the university and police looked into the case and saw no need to take it further against the male student.

    She is a nasty bully who took advantage of the current college climate.

    I wonder what job she will get now that she's graduated and everyone knows?
     
  6. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    She probably has fellowship, non-profit, women's magazine, blog, think-tank or gallery internship offers out the tookus. She ain't signing background releases at the Wilcrest Robert Half.
     
  7. Remii

    Remii Member

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    Many men still have a primitive caveman thought process when it comes to women...
     
  8. Commodore

    Commodore Contributing Member

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    at universities there is a presumption of guilt with nothing more than an accusation

    http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/s...ess-girl/article/2564790#.VV_VjEbXS_I.twitter

     
  9. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    And she accused a guy who doesn't, by all indications...
     
  10. Cohete Rojo

    Cohete Rojo Contributing Member

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    What are the indications?
     
  11. Duncan McDonuts

    Duncan McDonuts Contributing Member

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    Where there's smoke, there's probably fire. The guy is probably a bit too gropy and doesn't fully respect women's personal boundaries. He was tried and found guilty of groping another female student.

    But, with this girl, it started out as consensual sex. Something happened that she wasn't agreeable to, and it seems like she's made it a personal vendetta against him. There wasn't enough evidence to find him guilty of raping her. I think she should've dropped it after that.

    By putting on this performance art, she put herself out there and dragged his name in the mud. There's no proof. Without proof, it's hard to determine the truth. She's made herself the villain by calling out her accuser in public without proof.
     
  12. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Besides the university and police clearing him?

    http://reason.com/blog/2015/04/24/student-accused-of-rape-by-mattress-girl


    Dozens of Damning Texts
    Sulkowicz made life a living hell for Nungesser
    Robby Soave|Apr. 24, 2015 4:05 pm
    Spritz
    Ema Sulkowicz
    Columbia Spectator / Youtube
    Paul Nungesser, the Columbia University student accused of raping fellow student Emma Sulkowicz, is now suing the university for doing nothing to stop Sulkowicz's harassment campaign against him, which he claims "effectively destroyed" his college experience, reputation, and future career prospects.

    His lawsuit contains a wealth of new information about the contested sexual assault, including dozens of messages establishing Sulkowicz's sexual "yearning" for Nungesser, which she sent to him both before and after the alleged incident. (Full text of the lawsuit here, courtesy of KC Johnson.)

    Sulkowicz and Nungesser initially became friends at Columbia, developing an intimate relationship that involved several sexual encounters and frequent discussions of sex and relationships. Eventually, she accused him of choking, attacking, and anally raping her. Nungesser was cleared by Columbia's sexual assault adjudication process (the police later declined to pursue charges, citing a lack of reasonable suspicion), which prompted Sulkowicz to go public with her claims and start carrying her mattress everywhere she went as a form of protest against what she viewed as a miscarriage of justice. She became something of a spokesperson for rape victims, and was even invited to attend the State of the Union address with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York).

    There were reasons to doubt Sulkowicz's claims. Reason contributor Cathy Young outlined some of them in a detailed piece for The Daily Beast. Perhaps most damning for Sulkowicz's credibility are friendly messages she sent him, and continued to send, even after he allegedly raped her.

    Now there are more reasons. Many more. The lawsuit contains additional correspondence unreported thus far—much of it crude, although relevant to the incident. Sulkowicz broached several sexual topics with Nungesser: she talked to him about whether her boyfriend was using protection (with her, and with the other women he was sleeping with at the time), she asked Nungesser whether he was dating or sleeping with anyone, and she implied an interest in anal sex (she texted him “**** me in the butt”). After Nungesser and Sulkowicz began sleeping together, the lawsuit asserts that Sulkowicz “asked Paul to engage in anal sex with her.”

    None of that proves one way or another whether Sulkowicz consented to sex on the evening that he allegedly raped her, of course. It’s possible that Sulkowicz withdrew her consent and Nungesser continued—in brutal, violent fashion. But taken together, the messages she continued to send him even after he allegedly attacked her—as well as some of her demonstrably false assertions, including that she never brought up anal sex with him—certainly look bad for her.

    But Nungesser’s lawsuit isn’t against Sulkowicz—it’s against the university, for first failing to protect him from her smear campaign, and then turning “into an active supporter” of it. (The Washington Examiner’s Ashe Schow explains why Nungesser isn’t suing Sulkowicz here.) Of particular importance is the fact that Sulkowicz transformed her rape allegation and subsequent activist efforts into an art project for Columbia course credit. Jon Kessler, the university professor who signed off on the “Mattress Project,” is one of the defendants, along with Columbia President Lee Bollinger, the trustees, and the university itself.

    According to the lawsuit:

    As a result of Defendants’ actions, Paul’s entire social and academic experience at Columbia has suffered tremendously. In adherence to Columbia’s Confidentiality Policy, he did not discuss any of the investigations with any of his classmates. Yet Emma did the exact opposite, gaining support from classmates, professors, the administration, and President Bollinger. Emma has not faced any consequences for breaching the confidentiality policy.

    Silenced, and also enduring suspensions and increasing ostracism from his two main social activities (ADP and the Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program ("COOP")), Paul’s social life crumbled to the point of isolation. Even after being cleared of the outrageous allegation, no serious attempt was ever made by the university to rehabilitate him within those groups. Day-to-day life is unbearably stressful, as Emma and her mattress parade around campus each and every day.

    Due to this ostracism, and threats to Paul’s physical safety, University resources such as dorms, libraries, dining halls, and the gym are not reasonably available for Paul’s access. Even attending classes has become problematic, as he has endured harassment and has had his photo taken against his will while in class.

    The ordeal has certainly made life a living hell for Nungesser; whether that entitles him to any relief from Columbia, I can’t say.

    I can say that those in the media who uncritically re-reported Sulkowicz’s claims and gave credence to her antics should be feeling rather ashamed of themselves. With each new development, this story begins to look more and more like a Rolling Stone job
     
  13. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    This is an incredibly stupid reason to ruin someone's life.
     
  14. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost not wrong
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    Sulkowicz's lying and attention whoring is one thing, but the way this has been handled by Columbia and the press has been utterly sickening.
     
  15. Duncan McDonuts

    Duncan McDonuts Contributing Member

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    It is, and I agree with you. There's no proof and she should have never gone public with his name.
     
  16. Remii

    Remii Member

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    The same case could be made for Famous Jameis... But some of you same guys defending this dude are the same ones completely convinced Winston sexually assaulted that girl and the other ones who accused him. And my comment wasn't completely about this dude, it was in reference to some of the post on this board.
     
  17. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Ok well I'm not very familiar with the Jameis case
     
  18. percicles

    percicles Contributing Member

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    Goddammit! You unsophisticated cretins. F-ck her rape claims. Are we not gonna go into her senior art thesis. It's a low rent derivative of Tracey Emin's 1999 piece My Bed. ...or is it?

    [​IMG]
     
  19. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Never seen it.

    Is it on YouTube?
     
  20. percicles

    percicles Contributing Member

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    Nah it's an installation. Your looking at it.

    The bed was presented in the state that Emin claimed it had been when she said she had not got up from it for several days due to suicidal depression brought on by relationship difficulties.


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Bed
     

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