(KMOX) — A former Southern Illinois University Carbondale employee alleges she was sexually assaulted, and then retaliated against when she tried to report it.
Attorney Nicole Gorovsky says "Jane Doe" is suing the university to encourage others who may have experienced this to reach out for help.
"Maybe they don't even have to do it in a public way if they feel like they don't want to out themselves like that, but hopefully just get help and talk about their experiences because the more this comes out into the open ... the more this comes into the light, the more we're able to make change," Gorovsky said.
Gorovsky alleges Doe was pressured, by her employer, into an abusive relationship with a student employee in the Plant Sciences Department who'd previously abused other women. He allegedly assaulted Doe after the first date. She reported the abuse but was retaliated against.
Doe took extended time off through the Family Medical Leave Act but couldn't return to work. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
In a statement, the university said it can't comment on pending litigation but says, "Our policies prohibit sexual harassment and sexual violence. Every staff member is required to undergo annual training, and we absolutely encourage individuals to report incidents."