Sexual Assault Lawsuits Force UCLA’s Bruin Woods Camp to Close

Sexual Assault Lawsuits Force UCLA’s Bruin Woods Camp to Close

May 12, 2023

UCLA has made the official decision to close the long-running Bruin woods camp this summer. The decision comes following a lawsuit brought by two students alleging sexual abuse and hazing.

UCLA Shuts Down Bruin Woods Camp Following Sexual Assault/Hazing Lawsuits

• Students File Lawsuit Against Bruin Woods Camp Alleging Sexual Assault/Hazing
• Students File Lawsuit Against Bruin Woods Camp Alleging Sexual Assault/Hazing
• How Often Does College Campus Sexual Assault Occur?
• Contact a Campus Sexual Assault Attorney for a Free Consultation Today

Bruin Woods Camp, which dates back to 1985 and hosts up to 85 families of alumni per week on a campsite in Lake Arrowhead, is traditionally a 10 week initiative, according to a report from CBS News. More than 50 UCLA Students are invited to run the program and take on roles such as boat drivers, counselors, and arts and craft instructors.

For summer 2023, the camp will “place a pause” on operations as university officials investigate allegations named in the lawsuit and work on updating operations, CBS confirmed.

Bruin Woods Camp officials notified participants about the closure Friday, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

“We are aware of allegations of inappropriate activity concerning our Bruin Woods program, and continue to look into the matter,” UCLA spokesperson Margery Grey said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. “We are also making changes in an effort to provide an exceptional experience for everyone.”

Students File Lawsuit Against Bruin Woods Camp Alleging Sexual Assault/Hazing

The temporary closure of Bruin Woods Camp comes months after UCLA students Samea Derrick and Lydia Dixon filed a lawsuit against the University of California regents in October. The two students had worked at the camp in the summer of 2022.

“In the lawsuit and in previous interviews with The Times, the pair alleged they were sexually assaulted and hazed by returning student counselors, including physical and verbal abuse, sensory deprivation, forced nudity and coercive drinking games. The lawsuit also alleged that the hazing activities, referred to by counselors as ‘traditions,’ had taken place for decades at the camp, which was established in 1985 for UCLA alumni and their families,” the Los Angeles Times said.

The sexual assault and hazing civil lawsuit alleges:

• Negligence
• Civil rights violations
• Hazing
• Gender-based violence
• Two cases of assault and battery
• Intentional infliction of emotional distress

Additional details related to the sexual assault and hazing complaint include:

• Other camp counselors, including two men accused of sexually assaulting the students, were named as defendants.
• A jury trial is sought, in addition to $50,000 in damages and compensation for legal fees and medical expenses.

Further allegations included in the complaint are as follows:

• Hazing rituals included physical abuse and sensory deprivation while being forced to wear pillowcases over their heads as senior staffers verbally berated them.
• Students received a packing list which instructed them to bring “fake IDs, condoms and birth control.”
• Returning staff members coerced the plaintiffs to get naked at a party, consume excessive alcohol, and jump into the lake.
• Both women plaintiffs say male staffers sexually assaulted them after becoming incapacitated from drinking alcohol.
• Camp managers ignored the allegations and even celebrated the camp’s “sacred traditions.”

The lawsuit also reportedly mentions decades worth of abuse, as referenced through a separate Daly Bruin story from 1999.

The case is set to go to trial February 8, 2024, according to the Los Angeles Times.

California University Regents Deny Sexual Assault Allegations in Complaint

UC regents have denied the allegations and said that the board was not liable for damages, court documents filed in November indicate. The denial of the allegations comes despite UCLA’s commitment to implement changes at the camp, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Attorneys for the university system stated that the two plaintiff students “failed to exhaust the administrative remedies available to them through the University of California’s established internal grievance procedures,” the Los Angeles Times confirmed.

“We are aware of allegations of inappropriate activity concerning our Bruin Woods program, and continue to look into the matter,” a statement from UCLA read. “We are also making changes in an effort to provide an exceptional experience for everyone.”

The Board of Regents also contended via court documents that it had taken “prompt and appropriate corrective actions” in response to the concerns of the two students.

The lawsuit is suing both the University of California regents as well as the summer camp in order to “hold the institution accountable for failing to protect its staff and fostering a toxic and dangerous workplace for young people that has been an open secret for decades,” according to CBS News.

At the time of the lawsuit’s filing, UCLA released a statement to the Daily Bruin which read:

“UCLA has zero tolerance for sexual harassment, sexual violence and hazing. When we learned of the alleged incidents earlier this year, they were referred to our Title IX Office and are being handled according to university policies and procedures. Our top priority is the well-being of our students, staff and families, and we have robust policies in place to review all claims of misconduct.”

CBS further reported that it was unclear “how long administrators believed that the camp would be closed or if they had already begun making plans for families to stay over the summer.”

How Often Does College Campus Sexual Assault Occur?

Statistics offered by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) indicate that ‘college-age’ women between the ages of 18 and 24 are at an elevated risk for experiencing sexual violence.

The true pervasiveness of campus sexual violence isn’t precisely known, as many survivors do not report crimes to either school officials or law enforcement.

Here are some alarming statistics which shed light on the scope of the problem:

• 13% of all college students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation (among all graduate and undergraduate students).
• Among graduate and professional students, 9.7% of females and 2.5% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.
• Among undergraduate students, 26.4% of females and 6.8% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.
• 5.8% of students have experienced stalking since entering college.
• More than 50% of college sexual assaults occur in either August, September, October, or November.
• Students are at an increased risk during the first few months of their first and second semesters in college.

Whether a young person is a student or not (and regardless of their gender), this specific age category is at high risk for all types of sexual violence – sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, harassment, etc.

According to RAINN:

• Male college-aged students (between 18 and 24) are 78% more likely than non-students of the same age to be a victim of rape or sexual assault.
• Compared to other types of crime, sexual violence is most prevalent on college campuses.
• About one in every five college-aged female survivors received assistance from a victim services agency.
• 23.1% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have been sexually assaulted.

Contact a Campus Sexual Assault Attorney for a Free Consultation Today

At Dordulian Law Group (DLG), we believe all sexual assault survivors. When a victim brings a college campus sexual assault claim to one of our dedicated attorneys, we fight aggressively to ensure that all applicable damages are recovered and the ultimate settlement or verdict is maximized to ensure justice is served.

DLG’s founder, Sam Dordulian, began his career as a sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County. As a prosecutor, Dordulian came to realize that survivors of sexual assault often need additional resources and support beyond mere legal expertise.

Accordingly, when he founded DLG, Dordulian created a Sex Crimes Division that features a SAJE Team (Sexual Assault Justice Experts) of professionals offering a 24/7 support network survivors can access at any point throughout the legal process.

With DLG, survivors have four tiers or legal representation and support:

• Tier I, Litigation Lead: Sam Dordulian – a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy D.A. for Los Angeles County with extensive experience that includes over 100 jury trial victories
• Tier II, Investigative Lead: Moses Castillo – DLG’s in-house Chief investigator is a retired LAPD sex crimes detective with over 30 years of experience investigating and closing cases
• Tier III, Counseling/Therapy Lead: DLG employs an in-house licensed clinical therapist with over 15 years of experience assisting sexual assault survivors in need
• Tier IV, Support Lead: DLG’s Sex Crimes Division team includes a licensed and nationally accredited victim advocate.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

Contact us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM to discuss your school, campus, sorority/fraternity, or campus sexual assault case today confidentially and without any obligation.