Following an assault case from last year, three United States Naval Academy football players were charged with sexual assault of a female midshipman and also making false statements in connection with the assault.
According to Salon.com, the assault happened last year and the men were charged with making false statements about it in connection with the case. The report says that the woman woke up after a party at the house of football players and had barely any memory of what happened the previous night. She said that she found out later on social media that the players claimed to have had sex with her while she was out and that she later reported the assault.
She also said she was pressured by football players not to cooperate with the investigation and after no charges were filed, she was the one who got in trouble for consuming alcohol. Later she found other legal counsel and the case was opened again and now the charges have come in.
From Salon: "Burke criticized the academy's treatment of the victim and the alleged perpetrators during the investigation, saying the probe raised "troubling questions" and "reflects why rape victims are fearful and skeptical of the military justice system," according to the Washington Post.
The victim was disciplined for underage drinking following the alleged assault, but the accused were not. The three men were also allowed to continue playing for the football team while under investigation, and the victim was required to attend these games, according to Burke."
