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Federal officials investigating USC’s sexual assault policies




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USC students announced Monday that the Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education is investigating their complaints that the university mishandled sexual assault allegations.

Student Ari Mostov  spoke to reporters on the edge of campus.

She recounted, at times in a trembling voice, a rape she said she suffered last year. Adding to that horrible experience, she said, was the reaction of university officials.

“USC was unwilling to make any accommodations for me by moving around the classes of either my rapist or me so that I could avoid having to confront this man on a daily basis,” she said.

She claims they got her testimony wrong and did nothing to ease her trauma.

USC issued a written statement that did not address any of the specific allegations. Officials said the university ramped up its reporting policies a year ago and will cooperate with the federal investigation. The school investigates allegations but also reports the crimes to LAPD.

Federal officials have their hands full with similar accusations from students nationwide. USC’s the latest in a growing list of schools accused of poor sexual assault policies. Three months ago, the federal Department of Education began investigating treatment of rape reports at LA’s Occidental College.