Freshman roommate of Rolling Stone rape accuser defends story in letter
By RYAN GORMAN
The Rolling Stone campus rape story has taken yet another turn.
A roommate of the college student profiled in the infamous article that the publication's managing editor has since apologized over has come forward to say the story is not a hoax.
Emily Clark was one of the accuser's (named Jackie) roommates during their freshman year at the University of Virginia. She claimed in a letter written to the school newspaper that her former roommate is telling the truth, despite multiple discrepancies recently emerging in the story.
"I fully support Jackie, and I believe wholeheartedly that she went through a traumatizing sexual assault," Clark wrote to The Cavalier Daily. "Jackie came to UVA bright, happy and bubbly. She was kind, funny, outgoing, friendly, and a pleasant person to be around.
"That all notably changed by December 2012, and I wasn't the only one who noticed," Clark continued, adding that Jackie soon became "more and more withdrawn and depressed."
Clark contends Jackie stopped going to class and would just lay in bed each morning as her alarm would endlessly blare.
"She shared a Netflix account with me and I noticed how much TV she was watching - hours and hours of shows that seemed to get darker and darker as time went on," wrote Clark.
Jackie soon left the school and was given permission to take her finals over winter break, Clark recalled, adding "at that point, we knew something big had happened.
"I didn't know until this year with the publication of Rolling Stone's article how bad that time was for her," she continued, further recalling that Jackie mentioned "that multiple men had assaulted her" at a party.
Clark claims Jackie never discussed the incident again. The former roommate also says she has no idea what exactly happened that night.
But she pleads with people to not rush to judgment against Jackie because it may scare further women from reporting sex assaults in the future.
The letter came only days after Rolling Stone appeared to walk back much of the article featuring Jackie's account of the alleged 2012 gang rape.
Further reporting by the Washington Post, following the article's initial publication, led many to doubt the young woman's claims.
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Related links:
Rolling Stone issues 'apology' for UVA rape story as victim's credibility questioned
Two men charged with raping drunk, underage teen at Baltimore fraternity party
'Scuttle it': Bill Cosby demands a reporter make awkward on-camera exchange over rape allegations disappear
