Northwestern Cheerleader Hayden Richardson Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

A Northwestern University cheerleader filed a federal Title IX lawsuit saying the school attempted to cover up complaints of sexual harassment stemming from a requirement that women on the team mingle with drunken fans and alumni without school supervision. 

In a 58-page complaint, senior Hayden Richardson reported multiple, detailed occasions where former cheerleading coach Pam Bonnevier instructed women to interact with the school's donors for financial gain, sending members of the team to a private area for "elite" ticketholders where they were groped and verbally abused. According to the complaint, no male members of the team were ever asked to do so.

Women on the team reportedly asked if they could pair up when making their rounds through the tailgate lots and donor events but were denied by Bonnevier.

“It became clear to [Richardson] that the cheerleaders were being presented as sex objects to titillate the men that funded the majority of Northwestern’s athletics programs,” the lawsuit alleges (h/t Chicago Tribune's Elyssa Cherney). “After all, the happier these men were, the more money the university would receive from them.”

It took more than a year before the school opened an official investigation of Richardson's complaints through the Title IX compliance office, a probe that allegedly began after an associate athletic director asked for additional testimonials from team members then accused Richardson of forging the statements. 

The lawsuit further alleges the university violated Richardson's Title IX rights by failing to inform her of the school's findings. 

Richardson, who earned nearly $10,000 in scholarships through the team, would be forced to pay back all expenses incurred from travel, equipment and practice as a member of the team should she quit or be dismissed from the program. A school contract provided by Richardson's attorney to the Chicago Tribune noted the senior would have to pay back between $2,000-$4,000 if she left the team.

Bonnevier and the associate AD are both listed as defendants in the lawsuit, though Bonnevier is no longer employed by the school. 

Per Cherney:

"To date, Richardson hasn’t seen the findings of that probe, the lawsuit states. Though her reports helped trigger the investigation, she was listed as a 'witness' and not the complainant since she requested anonymity. As a result, she was not entitled 'to be informed of the outcome of the investigation or opportunity to appeal any findings or sanction,' the lawsuit says."

“This is not the highlight, by any means, of my life or time at Northwestern but it is certainly the most impactful,” Richardson told Cherney. “While there have been extreme detriments and times where I was very sad and hurt by the actions of the university, I am here, I am bringing the lawsuit forward and I’m going to do what is necessary to ensure other young women don’t experience the same thing that I did.”

The suit seeks damages for emotional distress and lost career and learning opportunities. 

Northwestern issued a statement reiterating its commitment to "fostering an environment in which all members of our community are safe, secure and free from discrimination or harassment of any form" but declined to comment or confirm details on any harassment reports it may have received, citing the privacy of individuals involved.