Nearly a dozen Shaw University women’s basketball players are
claiming harassment by a man affiliated with the team.

At least one woman brought concerns to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
[CIAA] and are hoping something will be done.

The harassment claims include sexual abuse and mental abuse to
women working for the team.

The Shaw University athletic department issued a statement Thursday afternoon, saying
it was aware of allegations that surfaced online involving the women’s
basketball team.

“Shaw University is aware of recent allegations that have surfaced
online,” the university wrote. “The university takes any allegations of
misconduct seriously. The university has no further comment at this time.”

Shaw University has not named anyone specifically connected to the
allegations, so WRAL News is not identifying anyone accused since it is so
early in the investigation.

The online allegations, also shared with WRAL News, include claims
of mental, physical and inappropriate behavior.

Shaw University senior guard Kiara Shepherd posted a TikTok video
detailing issues she experienced while a member of the Lady Bears. She posted
it earlier this week and it was flooded with comments from former players who
claim they experienced similar issues as members of the university’s women’s
basketball program.

Shepherd posted the video earlier this week to her nearly 82,000
TikTok followers. She said she posted to TikTok after filing a complaint to the
university and not getting a response.

Shepherd said she reported her concerns to the university in
February and has not heard from the university since.

“All I’m trying to do is bring awareness,” Shepherd said in the
video. “[I] already went to the school, [and] went to HR [human resources] [to]
try to pinpoint and get in contact with who I need to contact.”

Former Shaw University player Alliyah Chaplin described what she
said the man did who was affiliated with the team.

“Another athlete walked by, and he looked at her
butt,” Chaplin said.

Shepherd said she was kicked off the team after an uncomfortable
interaction with a man affiliated with the Shaw University women’s basketball
team.

“I’m really uncomfortable because like why are you touching me?”
Shepherd said in the video.

The allegations also include mental abuse to women working for the
team.

“He made me feel small,” former basketball manager Frantaisa
Springs said. “My grades started going down because of this.”

Shepard said she hopes for a Title IX investigation.

“Title IX is what we call the requirements on how schools have to
handle sexual assault,” said attorney Emilia Beskind, who has handled several Title IX
cases.

According to Shaw University’s procedures with Title IX, an
allegation can be brought to a hearing where both sides lay out their evidence
and a four-person Sexual Misconduct Grievance Panel reviews the findings.

However, it isn’t like a criminal court. The majority rules.

“Here, it’s just preponderance, so, like 50% and a feather,”
Beskind said. “If you are 50% and a feather convinced it happened, that’s it.

“Then, the person is found responsible.”

Beskind said it can get complicated. Every university in the United
States that receives federal funding is required to have a Title IX coordinator
and each one handles cases slightly differently.

But generally speaking, Beskind says they try to address two kinds
of sexual harassment. 

“Cases where there’s one act, but that one act is so terrible
that you can say it’s sexual harassment,” Beskind said.
“And then there are the kind of cases where it’s a pattern of
behavior over a long period of time, and those cases are tricky.”

Tricky, because the harassment can be viewed differently from the
person accused and the person accusing. 

“It does absolutely depend on the interpretation,” Beskind
said. “Ultimately, it’ll depend on the interpretation of the person who is
the fact finder, the decider in the case.”

Largely, when a Title IX investigation starts, details are kept
very private due to confidentiality concerns for everyone involved. 

Shaw’s procedures posted online say it aims to have any Title IX
investigations completed within 60 days. However, Beskind says she has never
seen a school finish it that quickly. She says it generally takes six months
but could be longer than a year. 

Source: wral.com