Content warning: this story contains mentions of physical harassment and sexual assault. Northwestern and four former employees denied allegations of forced labor and sex trafficking by former cheerleader Hayden Richardson in separate court filings Tuesday. NU argued that the University “promptly and effectively addressed the concerns Richardson raised in 2019 and in 2020” and claimed.
February 4, 2021
Editorâs Note: Alyssa Johnson was a member of the Northwestern cheerleading program during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. She was contacted by the Office of Equity for their investigation on Pamela Bonnevier but did not participate.
Content Warning: This article includes mentions of physical harassment, racial discrimination and mentions of sexual assault.
Erika Carter (SESP â18) never imagined she would sue her alma mater.
As a Black member of Northwesternâs cheer program from 2016 to 2018, she faced unequal treatment for wearing her natural hair, was forced to split up from other Black teammates on the sidelines for âopticsâ and was told in writing that ethnically Black hairstyles like braids were not allowed on the team. Now in her post-graduation years, she said she plans to take legal action for the racial discrimination she experienced.
Northwestern cheerleader sues university, says she was paraded as ‘sex kitten’ for donors and fans Joseph Wilkinson
A Northwestern University cheerleader sued the school for sexual harassment Friday, saying she was paraded around as a sex object to please wealthy donors and football fans.
Hayden Richardson, a 22-year-old senior at the Evanston, Ill., school, said administrators ignored her complaints and, when presented with copious evidence, covered them up.
Male donors and fans groped Richardson and other cheerleaders during tailgates and fundraising events from 2018-2020, but her coach and other higher-ups brushed away her reports and told Richardson to “just take it,” according to the lawsuit.