Louk v. Visible College
Title IX & Sexual Assault
Mara Louk was a senior at Visible Music College (Visible), a private Christian school, when a fellow Visible student forcibly raped and strangled her. She reported the rape to Visible the next day. Visible refused to investigate the assault, and instead disciplined Mara for allegedly having premarital sex with a prior boyfriend. Visible ostensibly received this information about Mara’s sexual history from its interview with the man who raped her.
On November 15, 2021, Visible sent Mara a “Pastoral Care Contract” (PCC), a disciplinary agreement, in which the school expected Mara to admit to sexual activity and pledge to do better. As part of Mara’s “Restrictions and Consequences,” Mara was prohibited from going on campus to attend classes. Further, she was not allowed to have other students over to her apartment or to perform in the annual holiday show. Mara filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, and the Department is now investigating Visible for retaliation and other violations of the Clery Act and Title IX.
Case Adopted January 2023
Where We Stand: Title IX
Know Your Rights: Sexual Harassment and Assault on Campus
