The Duke Lacrosse Team Rape Scandal: Narrative and Analysis

            On March 13th, 2006, The Duke University Varsity Lacrosse Team held a team party at the team’s captain’s residence. Alcohol was being consumed and two escorts were hired as dancers for the party. Although the players specifically requested two white women, the service sent them a black woman and a half-black, half-Asian woman instead.

            The dancers came over and began performing. One of the lacrosse players made a sexual comment to one of the dancers. This prompted a whole series of sexual comments from the players and also the dancers. When one player made a particularly vulgar sexual comment about a broomstick the two women stopped their performance and proceeded to go to the bathroom together in the house. The two women left the house at approximately 1:00 am. One of the strippers, Ms. Mangum walked around outside shouting, half naked for a minute before they left in a car.

            The two escorts then got into an argument while driving. Mangum’s counterpart, Ms. Roberts was driving and attempted to push her out of the car. When that was unsuccessful she pulled into a Kroger (a grocery store) and alerted a security guard. Roberts told the guard that there was a woman inside her car and she refused to get out. After the security guard confronted Mangum she continued her refusal to leave. The guard then called 911 and the police came. They removed her from the car and admitted her into the Durham Access Center, a mental health and substance abuse institution where she first claimed that she had been raped. It was determined that Mangum appeared to be under the influence of drugs. She later admitted to drinking and using drugs (Flexeril: an abusable muscle relaxant) before arriving at the party. It was later uncovered that Mangum had been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and was taking multiple medications including Seroquel and Ambien.

            After her claim that she was raped Mangum was transferred to a medical center. While there she underwent an examination and treatment for minor genital injuries. The injuries were not consistent with other rape injuries. There were no abrasions or tears in the vaginal area, only minor swelling. Mangum also had tenderness in her breasts and her lower right side. Mangum admitted that she performed with a sexual toy prior to the Duke Lacrosse part that doctors concluded might have caused the swelling in the vaginal area.