Former Baylor Title IX coordinator Patty Crawford says former Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw asked her for immunity for school’s football players after starting her investigation on sexual assault allegations against the team, according to ESPN’s Outside the Lines.
McCaw resigned in late May, after multiple women came forward against the school claiming they were sexually assaulted by members of the football program. Crawford stated on 60 Minutes Sports hundreds of women came forward to her about sexual assault in her less than two years at Baylor.
Crawford said when she pressed her boss about concerns over cultural issues at Baylor, she was asked by McCaw to give immunity to football players.
“The athletic director asked if I could give immunity to the football players that still were at the university,” Crawford said. “I looked around the room and everyone had their heads down. I said, ‘No, I don’t know [if] they were an accomplice. I don’t know if they were part of this culture.”
Crawford stated the university allegedly prevented her from handling sexual assault cases. Those claims are supported by McCaw’s alleged comments. Three former Baylor players have been indicted for sexual assault crimes. If Baylor was actively trying to suppress punishment for football team members, McCaw is not only an accomplice, but actively allowed assaults to occur on campus. How many inactive cases have there been?
At this point, Baylor’s approach to sexual assault was disturbing at best. Football shouldn’t take priority over the well-being of fellow students. Crawford isn’t free of guilt in the situation, but by speaking out, what unfolded at Baylor has become much clearer. The alleged actions are unbelievable.
[ESPN]
