Will Dana, managing editor for Rolling Stone, is walking back his magazine’s article which reported that a violent gang rape occurred at a University of Virginia fraternity.
“In the face of new information, there now appear to be discrepancies in Jackie’s account, and we have come to the conclusion that our trust in her was misplaced,” Dana said in a statement.
Friends of “Jackie,” the student who made the accusation detailed by the Rolling Stone, are also now saying that her story has changed over time.
The horrific story sent shockwaves around the nation’s college campuses, which have been grappling with how to handle sexual assault. As I noted earlier this week, should the story fall apart, it would be a major setback for future victims trying to report that they were raped.
Previously, Rolling Stone editor Sean Woods stood by the story, claiming the publication had verified the existence of the perpetrators (by talking to Jackie’s friends). A public relations representative for Rolling Stone also provided a statement claiming the publication “found Jackie to be entirely credible.”
In his note today, Dana added that Rolling Stone regrets “the decision to not contact the alleged assaulters to get their account.”
The fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi, is expected to release a statement rebutting the article.
Update: The fraternity, through a lawyer, released its statement.
