NWSL Investigation Finds San Diego Inspur “can do more” to resolve attack allegations | NWSL

oneAn investigation commissioned by the N National Women’s Football League found that the San Diego Inspur front desk “can do more” to address allegations of sexual assault by club staff, but ultimately found that there was no specific problem with the way the claim was handled, as the alleged victim did not use the word “sex” when describing her experience.

The findings are included in the report summarizing the investigation, which has not been published before but was obtained by the Guardian.

The investigation, conducted by Connecticut law firms Finn, Dixon and Herling, also looked at how the team’s front desk handled several other workplace complaints. Its conclusions illustrate some of the bureaucratic and legal obstacles many employees face when reporting sexual assault in the workplace. These may include systematically ineffective reporting mechanisms and procedural complexity, while individuals can experience delays, minimization, subsequent workplace performance and isolation. Although not stated in the report, the survey shows how clubs lack acceptance Response to trauma information Investigate or accept sexual assault complaints.

The San Diego Wave makes them NWSL 2022 debuted in 2022, including former U.S. women’s national team head coach Jill Ellis as president, former England International Casey Stoney as coach, and star forward Alex Morgan in the field. However, off the field, the situation is not that great.

The investigation found that a senior Inspur staff member reported to her manager in October 2023 that she was “traumatized” by a male colleague. She also said she did not want lawyers, the San Diego Inspur or the NWSL to investigate any incidents that caused this trauma. In a subsequent meeting with Wave’s HR manager, the woman did not identify the alleged assault on her colleagues, did not disclose details of the alleged “trauma” or did not explicitly describe sexual assault or sexual misconduct.

The woman who filed the charge was subsequently fired by the Insurgents of San Diego after her job performance declined and was informed by the club that more details of the club were known to file a claim for compensation for workers when the club set off. The Guardian learned that the NWSL investigation was triggered after receiving reports from San Diego Wave employees through an anonymous tip line, a response in line with alliance policies.

NWSL commissioned investigation to determine whether wave management overlooked reports of sexual assault and whether any potential inaction at the club has broken NWSL policies to prevent and eliminate workplace discrimination, harassment and bullying – Do not investigate any actual claims yourself.

According to the investigation, Inspur has not responded to reports of sexual assault, but “Inspur can impose more information on the complainant to obtain more information about the situation behind it”. It is understood that investigators recommend that at least one woman they interviewed consider complaining about other avenues if they are not satisfied with the conclusions of the investigation

In October 2024, nearly six months after the investigation was completed, five former San Diego Inspur employees filed lawsuits against the NWSL and San Diego Inspur. Later that month, “Jane Doe 2” joined the lawsuit, accusing sexual harassment with the same Inspur person accused of sexual assault.

In addition to claims of sexual assault and sexual harassment, the ongoing lawsuit also contains several charges related to the historic work environment of the San Diego Inspur. The plaintiffs include Brittany Alvarado, a former photographer of San Diego Waves, who made headlines in 2024 when she posted on social media that “NWSL must act immediately to remove Jill Ellis from San Diego Waves and the league.” Ellis was then president of Wave and played a hands-on role in managing the club. Ellis has since left San Diego for senior positions Chief Football Officer at FIFA. Ellis is not the defendant in the lawsuit, but is cited several times in the filing. She has filed a libel lawsuit against Alvarado for social media posts in 2024.

In the lawsuit, “Jane Doy 1” is described as a senior management position in the San Diego Inspur and has extensive experience in the sports industry. The lawsuit alleges that a colleague invited Jane 1, who recently moved to San Diego to work for Inspurs, to spend the night in the city, resulting in “inappropriate activities, including a ‘Sexy Jenga’ game, which led to his forced her to commit involuntary sexual acts”. Jane Doe 1 claims that later in her apartment, she was drunk and forced to perform “sex activities that she explicitly stated that she did not agree with”, which resulted in “significant harm.”

Jane Doe 1 describes the subsequent “hostile work environment” and the manager’s criticism, which ultimately led to her firing by Wave in late 2023. After leaving, Jane Doe 1 claimed she asked the club how to report the attack and was told to fill out the workers’ compensation form.

“Jane Doy 2” claims she was sexually harassed by the same San Diego Wave employee. According to the claim, her part-time job was scheduled by a shift scheduled by an employee, who sent messages related to her via Snapchat. The lawsuit says Jane Doy 2 informs employees that she is not interested in him, but that information is becoming increasingly natural in nature, including the unsolicited image of his penis. Jane Doe 2 claims she then planned to do a job turnaround with Wave Employe, so much so that she wasn’t rehired by the San Diego Inspur because she didn’t meet the minimum shift requirements set by the club. In July 2024, Jane Doe 2 met with a Wave employee socially who told her that her experience was not unique and encouraged her to talk to Wave. After that, the employee accused of being beaten and harassed left the club.

San Diego Inspur acquired a new owner in 2024, while some employees of the period described in the lawsuit keep the organization still alive. Ellis’ libel lawsuit against Alvarado will be heard later this year.

NWSL did not answer specific questions about the San Diego Inspur investigation, but a coalition spokesperson said in an emailed statement to the Guardian: “The safety, health and well-being of everyone associated with the NWSL are our top priorities. We will [sic] For any report of potential misconduct, please hire qualified independent investigators to thoroughly review these allegations and take action if the facts found support the allegations. We do not make special comments on positive legal matters. ”

The statement has been sent to other media organizations that have requested comment on the issue over the past year. Finn, Dixon and Herling did not respond to requests for comment to the investigation.

San Diego Waves did not respond to multiple requests for comment.