Columbia Settles Lawsuit With Victim Of ‘Mattress Girl’

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Rob Shimshock Education Reporter
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Columbia University settled the lawsuit filed by a student accused of — but found not guilty of — sexually assaulting “Mattress Girl,” according to a conciliatory statement published Thursday.

“Mattress Girl” Emma Sulkowicz’s accused rapist, Paul Nungesser, sued the school in 2015 for violating Title IX, but reached an undisclosed settlement in a statement published Thursday, reported Columbia Spectator.

Columbia pledged to reform gender-based discipline policies to ensure “accuser and accused [students], including those like Paul who are found not responsible,” are given “respect.”

“Paul’s remaining time at Columbia became very difficult for him and not what Columbia would want any of its students to experience,” said Columbia in a statement obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation. (RELATED: The Text Of The Mattress Girl Lawsuit Will Shock You)

Columbia praised Nungesser for graduating as a John Jay Scholar, a member of a community that demonstrates “remarkable academic and personal achievements, dynamism, intellectual curiosity, and original thinking.” The school also stated that the accused student is attending a prestigious film school and has begun his film-making career.

Nungesser filed two complaints against Columbia, in which he revealed messages sent by Sulkowicz to him in which she told him to “fuck me in the but.” The first one specifically cited Title IX and was dismissed by a district court. The suit settled by the university accused Columbia of gender-based harassment and misconduct, as well as sexual harassment, but did not cite Title IX.

Sulkowicz released a performance art sex video in June 2015. “Mattress Girl” continued her performance art post-graduation, allowing a man to tie her up and beat her in front of a live audience in May 2017.

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