Legal Fees for Survivor Facing Ruin

We have an urgent need for funds to support the legal case of a colleague who was

physically and sexually assaulted by an archaeologist while conducting fieldwork abroad.

Because the assault took place while the scholar was doing fieldwork abroad, and therefore falls outside the scope of the university Title IX office, they have been virtually abandoned and left to face mounting legal fees while they battle the perpetrator in foreign courts. The survivor has faced judicial authorities who lack a gendered perspective, sexist legislation, and is experiencing extreme vulnerability as a woman trying to seek justice in a misogynist court. This not only undermines their ability to heal, work, and conduct research in this country but has also left them financially bankrupt and on the verge of having to abandon their case—meaning the perpetrator will face no accountability. Please consider making a donation to the GoFundMe organized to help this sexual assault survivor defray legal expenses for their criminal trial.

Although the amount of $6,000 we are seeking in no way covers their out-of-pocket legal fees, which have already surpassed $18,500, your donation will help the survivor avoid hazardous debt with the impending trials.

More Information:

As the Fieldwork Initiative is an organization led by researchers who seek to rectify the

many barriers faced by survivors of academic sexual harassment, fieldwork sexual assault, and institutional gendered violence, this case concerns us greatly. We are here to guarantee that the survivor’s anonymity remains intact, and to ensure that they receive concrete financial assistance for this legal case so they can be relieved of their growing financial burden.

The survivor in this case was physically and sexually assaulted while conducting

fieldwork. The perpetrator is a member of the archaeological community, and the survivor made the choice to report and pursue legal action as a means for justice and to prevent further gender- based violence to students or faculty who may encounter the perpetrator in fieldwork operations.

The survivor is refusing to back down amid financial and institutional intimidation.

The outcome of this case is crucial because it concerns the survivor’s ability to continue

to do research in this country—the location where they have based their research and

scholarship. The outcome of this case establishes a precedent for women and nonbinary students and faculty assaulted by archaeologists. There is a long-standing history of male archaeologists not being held accountable for perpetrating sexual violence against students and professionals in the field. The survivor has carried the burden of challenging this historical precedent on their own, to assure a safer and more equitable future for others, all while enduring further trauma and financial abuse through the legal system. Given the tremendous emotional and monetary cost, many survivors are forced to drop their cases, which means that perpetrators are never punished and continue assaulting their colleagues and students. This survivor in particular is at a critical crossroads and may be forced to retract the case due to lack of funding for legal expenses.

We were very alarmed to learn that, despite the survivor’s resilience and dedication to justice

for sexual assault survivors, they have received no support from their university or the Title IX

office. This is part of a larger trend where universities ignore and mishandle sexual assault cases, particularly those that occur while students and scholars are conducting field research abroad. Schools’ apathy toward the sexual assault of their own students and faculty makes it exceedingly difficult for women and nonbinary students and scholars to achieve justice, safety, and equity.

We believe that sexual harassment is a collective problem in academia, and universities’

dismissal of sexual abuse in the field as “off-campus,” “not related,” or “external to their

jurisdiction” is dangerous and unprincipled. This position leaves survivors with no place to turn and allows sexual predators to continue their behavior unabated. Not only does this lack of support harbor cultures of harm, but it can be extremely emotionally intrusive and damaging to a survivor’s healing journey.

Since the university and academia at large have failed this sexual assault survivor, we must

step in as a community to act. We invite you to support this survivor by offsetting the

financial burden of their growing legal expenses in the criminal sexual assault case. Please

send your donations to this GoFundMe.

We also welcome free legal aid or advice for this case, which can be sent to our email.