Rolling Stone Rape Story Centered On University Of Virginia In Doubt: Phi Kappa Psi Denies Assault Allegations; Rolling Stone's Managing Editor Will Dana Retracts Controversial Article [PHOTO]

A recent article written by Rolling Stone magazine concerning allegations of a gang rape at the University of Virginia has been retracted, as discrepancies in the story were found merely days after journalist Sabrina Rubin Erdely defended her reporting.

According to USA Today, Will Dana, the magazine's managing editor, wrote on his website, "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...

We were trying to be sensitive to the unfair shame and humiliation many women feel after a sexual assault and now regret the decision to not contact the alleged assaulters to get their account... We are taking this seriously and apologize to anyone who was affected by the story."

The story centered on "Jackie," an unidentified UVA student who told Erdely she was brutally gang raped as part of a hazing process at a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity party in Fall 2012. The claims deeply embarrassed both UVA management and students, and all university fraternities were suspended until January.

However, according to the Washington Post, Phi Kappa Psi said that it has been working with police to determine whether the account of a brutal rape at a party there was true, and that many fraternity members say that several important elements of the allegations were false. Phi Kappa Psi claims it did not host any kind of social event during the time which Jackie was raped, and some of Jackie's close friends revealed that they know something traumatic happened to Jackie, but are beginning to doubt her account.

A statement made Friday by Phi Kappa Psi reads, "We have no knowledge of these alleged acts being committed at our house or by our members...Our initial doubts as to the accuracy of the article have only been strengthened as alumni and undergraduate members have delved deeper.

Our Chapter's pledging and initiation periods, as required by the University and Inter-Fraternity Council, take place solely in the spring semester and not in the fall semester...We document the initiation of new members at the end of each spring. Moreover, no ritualized sexual assault is part of our pledging or initiation process. This notion is vile, and we vehemently refute this claim."

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University of Virginia
UVA
Rolling Stone
rape
Jackie
Sabrina Rubin Erdely
Will Dana
Phi Kappa Psi
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