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UNC student says football player raped her and school has done nothing (Updated)

graham watson
A North Carolina helmet is shown during the Tar Heel's NCAA college football media day in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

** UPDATE **

North Carolina junior linebacker Allen Artis has been indefinitely suspended by the team, according to coach Larry Fedora.

“We are aware of the misdemeanor charges against Allen Artis,” Fedora said in a statement. “I cannot comment on either the allegation or the investigative process. We take these matters very seriously and are fully cooperating with the appropriate authorities.”

Artis turned himself into police on misdemeanor charges of sexual battery and assault on a female.

** ORIGINAL POST **

A University of North Carolina student alleges a football player raped her last February. She says the school and the Orange County District Attorney failed to hold her alleged attacker accountable for his actions.

According to ABC11.com, which first reported the news, a warrant has been issued for North Carolina junior Allen Artis, a reserve linebacker who appeared in 13 games, mostly on special teams, last season.

The alleged victim, UNC sophomore Delaney Robinson, who will be speaking publicly with her father and attorney on Tuesday afternoon, said she was raped on Valentine’s Day in the Ram Village apartments on UNC’s campus. She notes she had been drinking.

She said in a statement that she went to the hospital after the incident and “gave an account of what I could remember to the sexual assault nurse.” Robinson said she also spoke with Department of Public Safety investigators and that they “asked humiliating and accusatory questions.”

“My humiliation turned to anger when I listened to the recorded interviews of my rapist by DPS,” Robinson’s said in her statement. “Rather than accusing him of anything, the investigators spoke to him with a tone of comradery. They provided reassurances to him when he became upset. They even laughed with him when he told them how many girls’ phone numbers he had managed to get on the same night he raped me. They told him, ‘don’t sweat it, just keep on living your life and playing football.'”

“I did everything a rape victim is supposed to do. I reported it. I allowed the rape kit to be taken. I gave a statement. I cooperated with law enforcement and the Title IX office. But six months later the University has done nothing,” she continued. “I’m taking this public stand not for me, but for the other students on campus who are not protected, despite what the University tells us. I love this University. It’s my home. I plan on graduating. But I expect the University to fulfill its promises to me and to all students.”

Orange Country District Attorney Jim Woodall told ABC11.com the case was “investigated thoroughly.”

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham told News & Observer‘s Andrew Carter via text message that the athletic department is not involved with the university’s investigation of sexual assault.

In a statement, Robinson’s father blamed the Title IX office and public safety department investigators for the delay in the investigation. At this time, the judicial system has not prosecuted the case.

“We have watched with dismay as the UNC Department of Public Safety and the Title IX office spent far more time investigating my daughter rather than her rapist,” he said. “DPS even went so far as to reassure my daughter’s rapist by telling that there was nothing to worry about, and one investigator participated in an event where he was socializing with the football team.

“Nowhere in this entire process have DPS investigators, University leadership or the orange County District Attorney’s Office expressed concern for my daughter’s well-being.”

The North Carolina athletic department has not issued any other statements regarding the allegations.

For more North Carolina news, visit TarHeelIllustrated.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!