University of Chicago Student's Social Life Continued Months After Alleged Rape

A University of Chicago student accused of raping a 19-year-old woman in February continued his campus social life for months without interruption, according to a report.

Kevin Shim, a sophomore member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, allegedly committed the assault at a frat party. He reportedly continued to attend social events, pose for photos with fraternity brothers, and attend classes until his name was publicly identified in a lawsuit filed in October. The Chicago Maroon, the university's student newspaper, reported on the timeline of events.

Shim was listed on an invitation for a social event called “Champagne and Shackles,” co-hosted by Alpha Delta Phi and the University of Chicago's Delta Gamma sorority chapter. The event reportedly took place before the lawsuit was filed on October 19. Litzy Tafolla, president of Delta Gamma, told the Maroon that no one in her organization was aware of the assault until the lawsuit became public. Tafolla did not specify the date of the event.

Earlier this month, Shim was removed from the invitation, and he did not attend the event. As of Tuesday, Shim had moved out of his university-provided dorm room and had been suspended from the fraternity, according to the Maroon.

The lawsuit claims that Jane Doe, who is not a University of Chicago student, was given a drink at the February 7 party that made her feel unsteady. Shim then allegedly took her to a bedroom and began making unwanted sexual advances. According to the lawsuit, Doe pleaded with Shim to use a condom, but he refused and proceeded to penetrate her without consent.

Doe was found unconscious by a friend after other fraternity members reportedly prevented her friend from immediately checking on her. The lawsuit seeks more than $200,000 in damages and a jury trial.

The allegations against Shim emerged days after another woman filed a lawsuit alleging sexual assault at a different fraternity house near the University of Chicago. In that incident, a group of men reportedly cheered from outside a bathroom door where the assault was occurring.

A lawyer for Shim stated that his departure from campus this week was unrelated to the allegations.