University of Montana Considered Action Against Rape Report Victim

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Emails obtained by a Montana newspaper show that the vice president of the University of Montana sought to punish a student who spoke publicly about how the school was handling her report of being raped.

The Missoulian reports in a story published Sunday that Jim Foley contacted Dean of Students Charles Couture to find out if the woman violated the student code of conduct in speaking out.

Foley also sent emails to various school officials asking where the school used the term gang rape that's appeared in news reports when the school has described alleged assaults as date rapes.

Couture responded he used the term gang rape when accusing four UM football players and another person of sexual assaulting a woman "because that is what it was."