New Baylor lawsuit claims 52 rapes in 4 years by football players
A former Baylor University student who says she was raped by two football players has filed a federal lawsuit against the school that alleges there were dozens more assaults involving other women and players.
The lawsuit filed against the Baptist school on Friday alleges at least 52 rapes by more than 30 football players over a four-year period. It also said there were at least five gang rapes during that time and two of them were committed by ten or more different Baylor football players.
The lawsuit by former student "Elizabeth Doe" alleges a "culture of sexual violence" and describes her 2013 attack. It doesn't detail the other alleged attacks but says some were recorded by the players, who shared them with friends.
Fifty-two assaults would dramatically increase the 17 reports of sexual and physical involving 19 players since 2011 previously acknowledged by Baylor officials and discussed in the Pepper Hamilton report. Just two players have been dismissed from Baylor in connection with the assaults.
The lawsuit also details Baylor football's "show 'em a good time" philosophy when it came to recruiting.
According to the lawsuit, Assistant Coach Kendall Briles, son of head coach Art Briles, asked one Dallas athlete, "Do you like white women? Because we have a lot of them at Baylor and they LOVE football players."
Baylor players arranged for women, alcohol and illegal drugs for recruitment parties, the suit said. They also paid for and escorted underage recruits to strips clubs and bars.
Baylor coaches also arranged for recruits to have sex with women while visiting, including one situation where coaches sent two Baylor Bruins hostesses to hotel rooms to have sex with two young men. The suit claims the Baylor hostesses were impregnated by football players multiple times.
The on-going scandal led to the firing of football coach Art Briles and the departure of school President Ken Starr in 2016. An internal investigation last year found that the football program operated as if it was "above the rules" and that assistant coaches and staff interfered or stifled investigations into alleged assaults by players.
Baylor allowed Briles' staff of assistants to remain for the 2016 season but new coach Matt Rhule hasn't retained them. Some have moved to new jobs, including Briles' son and former offensive coordinator, Kendal Briles to Florida Atlantic, and defensive coordinator Phil Bennett to Arizona State.
Baylor officials declined to comment on Friday. Baylor faces at least five lawsuits from women who allege they were attacked.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.