 | |
| Author | Sabrina Rubin Erdely |
|---|---|
| Subject | An alleged gang rape at a college fraternity |
| Set in | University of Virginia |
| Publisher | Rolling Stone |
Publication date |
|
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Magazine article |
"A Rape on Campus" is a retracted, defamatory Rolling Stone magazine article[2][3][4] written by Sabrina Erdely and originally published on November 19, 2014, that describes a purported group sexual assault at the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, Virginia. Rolling Stone retracted the story in its entirety on April 5, 2015.[1][5] The article claimed that UVA student Jackie Coakley had been taken to a party hosted by UVA's Phi Kappa Psi fraternity by a fellow student and led to a bedroom to be gang raped by several fraternity members as part of a fraternity initiation ritual.
Jackie's account generated much media attention, and UVA President Teresa Sullivan suspended all fraternities. After other journalists investigated the article's claims and found significant discrepancies, Rolling Stone issued multiple apologies for the story. It has since been reported that Jackie may have invented portions of the story in an unsuccessful attempt to win the affections of a fellow student in whom she had a romantic interest.[6][7] In a deposition given in 2016, Jackie stated that she believed her story at the time.[8][9]
On January 12, 2015, Charlottesville Police officials told UVA that an investigation had failed to find any evidence confirming the events in the Rolling Stone article. UVA President Teresa Sullivan acknowledged that the story was discredited. Charlottesville Police officially suspended their four-month investigation on March 23, 2015, based on lack of credible evidence.[10] The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism audited the editorial processes that culminated in the article being published. On April 5, 2015, Rolling Stone retracted the article and published the independent report on the publication's history.[1]
UVA associate dean Nicole Eramo, the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and several fraternity members later filed lawsuits against Erdely and Rolling Stone. Eramo was awarded $3 million by a jury who concluded that Rolling Stone defamed her with actual malice,[11] and Rolling Stone settled the lawsuit with the fraternity for $1.65 million.[12]
- ^ a b c "Rolling Stone and UVA: The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Report". Rolling Stone. April 5, 2015. Archived from the original on September 24, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
"With [the publication of this article], we are officially retracting 'A Rape on Campus.'
- ^ Daniel Sanchez (April 28, 2017). "Rolling Stone Faces Millions More In Defamation Charges". Digital Music News. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
First published in Rolling Stone in 2014, 'A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice' turned out to be seriously fake news.
- ^ Victor Davis Hanson (January 26, 2017). "Fake News: Postmodernism By Another Name". Hoover Institution. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
A somewhat similar fake news story about rape was promulgated by Rolling Stone in a 9,000-word article ("A Rape on Campus") that supposedly detailed a savage gang rape in 2012 of a University of Virginia first year co-ed.
- ^ "Dan Liljenquist: News stories about fake news stories". December 8, 2016. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- ^ GRACE GUARNIERI (November 5, 2016). "Rolling Stone, Sabrina Rubin Erdely deemed liable in dean's defamation suit for University of Virginia rape story". Salon. Archived from the original on March 2, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
The Rolling Stone story, which was eventually retracted in April 2015, centered on student Jackie Coakley and her falsified story of being gang raped
- ^ Shapiro, T. Tees (May 18, 2016). "Lawyers in Rolling Stone lawsuit file new evidence that 'Jackie' created fake persona". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 8, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- ^ McNiff, Eamon; Effron, Lauren; Schneider, Jeff (2017). "How the Retracted Rolling Stone Article 'A Rape on Campus' Came to Print". ABC 20/20. Archived from the original on January 29, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- ^ "'Jackie' testifies: Rolling Stone story was 'what I believed to be true at the time'". The Guardian. October 24, 2016. Archived from the original on November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
Jackie responded: "I stand by the account I gave to Rolling Stone. I believed it to be true at the time."
- ^ "'I believed it to be true:' Jackie stands by her story as Rolling Stone trial continues". WTVR.com. October 25, 2016. Archived from the original on November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
- ^ "Rolling Stone's investigation: 'A failure that was avoidable'". Columbia Journalism Review. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ "UVA dean awarded $3M in Rolling Stone magazine case". www.cbsnews.com. November 7, 2016. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
- ^ Gardner, Eriq (December 21, 2017). "Rolling Stone Settles Last Remaining Lawsuit Over UVA Rape Story". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2022.