Alpha Tau Omega Video: National Chapter Revokes Indiana University Branch’s Charter Over Alleged Sex Video
Alpha Tau Omega’s viral video has proved to be its downfall, with the Indiana University fraternity losing its charter over a video that allegedly shows a pledge performing a sex act with a stripper.
Video of the incident went viral this week, showing a gathering of shirtless men cheering on as one student appeared to perform oral sex on a woman identified as a stripper.
The video went viral almost immediately, spreading first among students at Indiana University and then being uploaded to video sharing sites and posted on Reddit, where it was briefly among the top voted links before being deleted by moderators for its graphic images.
The actions against the fraternity came almost as quickly. On Thursday, less than 24 hours after the video went viral, the national Alpha Tau Omega organization revoked the Indiana University chapter’s charter, the Associated Press reported.
“The video is highly offensive and is antithetical to the values of Alpha Tau Omega,” said Wynn Smiley, national chief executive officer for Alpha Tau Omega.
The national chapter did clear up some apparent misconceptions. In the original description, it claimed that the young man was being forced against his will to perform oral sex. The video allegedly showed him struggling and the woman apparently grabbing onto him with her arms and legs. Smiley noted that no one was forced to participate.
The viral video may have uncovered how unpopular Alpha Tau Omega is among other students on the Indiana University campus.
IndyStar reported that some students celebrated the fraternity’s closing, with others noting that it has long had a reputation as a troublemaker on campus.
“‘About time. See ya guys’ one student shouted from a passing vehicle on Third Street. Another honked a car horn in excitement and waved to frat members gathered on the front porch.
Among the students witnessing the scrubbing of Alpha Tau Omega from the IU-Bloomington campus was Jordan Haas, a junior from Southern Indiana who clenched his jaw and shook his head as he thought of the fraternity’s recent troubles.
‘It’s just so out of control and awful,’ Haas said. ‘But I’m not surprised.'”
The video spread quickly, with many students sharing it on Twitter.
“Oh, it’s just everywhere, man. I heard it was trending more than Hillary Clinton,” senior Luke Haig said. “I’ve got a couple buddies in the house who are respectable guys. That’s why it’s so shocking to me. I don’t know anyone from there who would do what was in that video.”
It is still unclear if anyone could face charges after the Alpha Tau Omega video went viral. Indiana University spokesman Mark Land school officials were looking into whether the woman was forced to do anything against her will, noting that the university would be conducting its own investigation. The Monroe County prosecutor’s office noted that it was not looking into anything regarding the incident.
This is not the first time that the Alpha Tau Omega branch has been in trouble. In 2010, the national branch again had to step in after a series of drinking incidents and rules violations led the Indiana University chapter to become what Wynn Smiley described as “party central.”
Indy Channel reported that the university was suspended at the time, leaving more than 100 fraternity members looking for a new home.
The letters have been removed from the @AlphaTauOmega house on @IUBloomington campus, following video scandal. @rtv6 pic.twitter.com/EDT0RJ50Lr
— Marc Mullins (@MarcMullins1) October 9, 2015
This time, the fraternity was also closed within hours of the Alpha Tau Omega video hitting the internet. By Thursday evening, the letters had been taken down outside the house on campus.
[Image via Vid.me]
