Lizzy Seeberg's Suicide Sparks Outrage At Notre Dame

politicsdaily.com:

Elizabeth "Lizzy" Seeberg was a college freshman with a wide-open smile -- here is a heartbreaking photo of her in spaghetti straps and pearls -- who built houses with Habitat for Humanity and hoped to become a nurse. Lizzy also suffered from depression, and 10 days after telling friends and campus cops that she'd been sexually assaulted by a University of Notre Dame football player, rape crisis volunteers who knew she had missed a counseling session found her barely breathing in her dorm room.

The 19-year-old daughter of serious Catholics and prominent volunteers in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook died on Sept. 10, of what turned out to be a lethal dose of the anti-depressant Effexor. And the football player, who hasn't been named? He is not only still in school, but wasn't even benched, according to the Chicago Tribune, and presumably will take the field against University of Southern California on Saturday, with my whole ND-adoring family in attendance. I love my alma mater, (really, I do) but the thought that I might be cheering for Lizzy's attacker makes me want to shake down more than some thunder.

Read the whole story: politicsdaily.com

Comments

[Irishturtle15]

02:09 PM on 12/27/2010

Rev. Jenkins finally speaks about the situation in an article in South Bend Tribune, and part of her statement that I am having difficulty understanding is if she was being forcefully kissed and groped, why was she on top? "Violently threw me off of him to the side" (her words not mine). This was after his phone went off either about a call or text. Why would the aggressor or consensual participant not be on top?
And to answer a post earlier, if this was a false allegation, and I'm not saying this is what I believe. If there is sufficient guilt of a false accusation or possible public embarrassment with the potential outcome of an investigation, it could cause her enough stress that mixed with her depression could lead to suicidal thoughts/actions.

[Lucas Corso]

10:16 AM on 12/19/2010

You all understand the allegation, I hope. Two college students went to a party, had some beer, went back to a room, discussed sex, . . the boy "touched" the girl's breasts, then took a phone call. She felt uncomfortable, and left. And people are looking to hang someone out to dry here? Seriously? Did anyone of you ever "cop a feel" in HS, or in college? Even if you believe the story, and there is no particular reason to accept it as true, it amounts to almost nothing. It is a normal activity in college.

It is a great tragedy that Lizzie Seeberg chose to take her own life. But a witch hunt for villains isn't going to bring her back. Somebody should have been looking out for a girl who was so fragile shouldn't couldn't cope with normal physical contact with a boy. If there is a villain in this, it is whoever left her in an environment she couldn't handle. I say God Bless Notre Dame for not offering the player up as a sacrifice to the mob. That'd be the easy, and cowardly, thing to do.

[LyShawn]

04:31 AM on 12/11/2010

This girl was a pillar of the catholic community praised for a lifetime of service to others DESPITE her depression. NOT a STRIPPER as in the Duke case. How can people even begin to compare the two? And just because it wasn't defined by Lizzy as "Rape" because of interruption at the door doesn't make it any less traumatic to be in the terrifying situation of being completely powerless in a sexual assault of any degree. Should children who are molested but not raped just get over it? I'm sure the now adult victims of pedophile priests would say no. What if a man were tied down and only "groped" by another man. It's about loss of choice and control. And the fear changes you. And to compound the tragedy she had the strength to report it and nothing was done. To those who don't know the difference, consider yourself lucky that you have never experienced it yourself and can be so obtuse. And as far as those saying Lizzy was already depressed? I'm reminded of the Mother who harrassed a 13 year old girl online until she killed herself. She told the girls parents that she didn't feel so guilty after she heard that the little girl had tried it before. Lizzy's fragility makes the man's actions more horrendous, not lessens his culpability.

[Iron100]

06:36 AM on 11/29/2010

Universities should be banned from the business of sports. People go there to get educated. Do universities make movies? Then why do they need to compete in sports? They better compete on the quality of education they provide

[patrickmcdougal]

05:32 PM on 12/16/2010

yes universities make movies they invent new medicines they publish books they design new technologies......Universities are not just places where you go take test and receive diplomas....

[dare2think]

12:44 AM on 11/29/2010

I guess you don't have to be proven anthing in this country. White girl says football player raped her so it had to happen that way right? Please look at the persumed guilt being written in these post. If you have assumed guilt on the football players part, Shame on you. Her killing herself is a tragedy for the obvious reasons and also because this man who is being accused will never get a chance to face his accuser. Sad story

[thegirlnextdoor]

12:27 AM on 11/29/2010

"he just didn't feel it was important."
I have to wonder about a world where a police official would give that as an explaination.

[Lucas Corso]

10:20 AM on 12/19/2010

Let's say there was no suicide. And you heard the allegation. "Two college students went to a party, drank beer, went back to a room . . . they talked about sex, and the boy touched the girl's breasts. She didn't like it, so she left." What would you do with that report? How would you react if it was about your SON?

It is a tragedy that Lizzie Seeberg killed herself. But it doesn't transform copping a feel into rape. I know, I know, it is comforting to find villains to blame. But it isn't honest.

[nick1936]

12:17 AM on 11/29/2010

Look the church has been covering up priest who molest children for years why should we be surprised that they would protect this rapist

[Frank Choi]

10:05 PM on 11/28/2010

That's not right, I hope juatice will be brought to the situation immediately.

[Laser Guided Loogie]

08:29 PM on 12/28/2010

What "justice is that?" What crime was committed? What evidence do you have?

[GravitonX]

09:16 PM on 11/28/2010

The sad part is that she made her attacker's life a whole lot easier.

[Lucas Corso]

10:23 AM on 12/19/2010

Not in the least. The identity of the kid is already circulating. He'll always wear this as a scarlet letter. And it isn't fair. He's an attacker? He "touched the girl's breast." She didn't like it, and she left. But he's an "attacker?" Seriously? Her decision to take her own life doesn't transform his act into something it wasn't.

This is insanity. People are willfully seeing only what they want to see, because it is emotionally satisfying to canonize the girl and demonize the boy. It's utterly dishonest. But satisfying.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

02:12 PM on 12/20/2010

dis agree! the act in no way dismisses nordeminished the validity of the accusation
, and the crime of homicide should be pursued! Opens alot of Doors!
This aint california were the cops have to pick a single  crime

[JPMac]

09:13 PM on 11/28/2010

One very little line in this story that got no futher detail, why did she leave the Univ. of Dayton on 09 after one semester?

[hottingers]

07:00 PM on 11/28/2010

Luckily Notre Dame's team isn't in the top ten anymore. If they were, both this girl's story or the death of the cameraman wouldn't have even made the news.

[nancynancy]

06:33 PM on 11/28/2010

If I were a parent, I would never send my daughter (or son) to Notre Dame.

[Pinkasaurus]

08:51 PM on 11/28/2010

Fair enough, but this sort of situation is not unique to Notre Dame. Universities are notorious for failing to adequately investigate sexual assaults. They do not like the idea of having to report these crimes, because it "looks bad."

[rbgal]

11:49 PM on 11/28/2010

My daughter graduated from Notre Dame and I am extremely proud of it.

ND and SMC students are compassionate to a fault, and they care far more about the welfare of their classmates than what happens on the gridiron. This is not some vast conspiracy. If it turns out that the player is indeed guilty, he will be punished accordingly, both by the school and the law.

You would be really lucky if you children could get into Notre Dame.

[Lucas Corso]

10:31 AM on 12/19/2010

I am a parent, and I'd gladly send my son or daughter to Notre Dame (or St. Mary's). If my daughter was so emotionally fragile, though, that she couldn't handle being "hit on" by a boy, if she couldn't handle "getting felt up" by a boy . . . I wouldn't send her to college anywhere. If you go to parties in college, and go home with someone of the opposite sex, that kind of thing is going to happen. All the time. When it makes you feel uncomfortable, you stop. You leave the room. Like Seeberg supposedly did. You don't later kill yourself over it. I wouldn't send my son to Notre Dame if Notre Dame turned out to be a place where they wouldn't stand up for my son against an allegation like this. A more "politically correct" institution would have made the male a scapegoat. I applaud ND for not taking that easy out.

FWIW: ND has a history of expelling students, even athletes, for legitimate charges of sexual battery or harrasment. Even players found not guilty in courts, and players against whom charges get dropped. ND conducts its own investigation, and if ND believes the charge -- the player gets the boot.

[Laser Guided Loogie]

08:31 PM on 12/28/2010

I totally agree

[charon]

05:46 PM on 11/28/2010

Suicide is, as sociologists have noted from the earliest days of sociology, a social phenomenon, a symptom of a sick and sickening society. This society is very, very sick.

[Lucas Corso]

10:34 AM on 12/19/2010

I agree. And I think we are in danger of fostering a "suicide society." What message is being sent here? If you commit suicide, you'll be a hero. If you commit suicide, then everyone will believe you were wronged. Even if you really weren't. I get the sympathy angle. But, canonizing a girl for killing herself after a fairly normal college experience she wasn't ready for? We need to look in the mirror.

[LeftonMainSt]

05:13 PM on 11/28/2010

Who's the player? Why are they hiding his identity?

[Michael Johnson 1]

09:32 PM on 11/28/2010

Maybe because they haven't proved that he had done anything? Sorry, I am one of those people who think that the alleged perpetrator should remain anonymous until he/she is proven guilty.

[CCBeans]

02:52 PM on 12/16/2010

Hmmm, u mean charged? Its impossible to stay anonymous until "proven guilty"..that happens at the END of a trial...Never heard of anyone anonymously making it through a trial. His name would have been released if he were charged but that would require police giving a crap and gathering all the evidence in a timely fashion. I wonder if they got ahold of the rape kit from the hospital?

[TakePenguin]

05:11 PM on 11/28/2010

All it takes is one accusation and lives are destroyed. Why do people want his name out even if he hasn't yet been charged with a single crime? Even if he was he should have the complete right to face his accusers, and tell his side of the story. It almost seems like people are just looking for blood instead of justice. Enough with the sensationalism; least people make the same mistake in the Duke Lacrosse case. These are serious allegations with a tragic outcome; they have serious consequences and require evidence not wild speculation.

[Paros]

09:07 PM on 11/28/2010

Hmm - so she committed suicide because she falsely accused an unnamed player of sexual assault. Yes - he needs protection alright so he can make a few more victims. Apparently one dead victim is not enough - oh yeah there might be some serious consequences - not that the victims death would qualify as a serious consequence.

[Lucas Corso]

10:38 AM on 12/19/2010

God forbid another boy touches the breast of another girl he's attracted to after having beer at a college party. That would be a travesty.

I don't know if the girl made it up or not. But I know suicide isn't a normal or expected reaction to someone "copping a feel." The fact that so many are using words like "rape" and "sexual assault" is a big old red flag.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

02:31 PM on 12/20/2010

if you take a television into your bathtub , you will get a shck!
After the first shock , you wont take televisions into your bathtub!
He done did wrong , his second chance can happen at VT
they know how to handle the crazies!