A professor at the conservative evangelical Liberty University in Virginia has been charged with the abduction and sexual battery of a student, according to court records and a spokesman for the school.
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William Atwell, who is an associate professor of American Sign Language in the Department of Modern Languages, was arrested Nov. 20 by Liberty University police, according to court records.
Atwell, of Lynchburg, is accused of a sexual assault on Sept. 15 and of an abduction on Nov. 19, according to court records. He posted a $3,000 bond and was released from the Lynchburg jail on Nov. 29. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 25.
Liberty University police referred questions about the case to a school spokesman, who released a statement that provided few details about the circumstances of the alleged incidents. It said Atwell has been suspended pending the outcome of the case.
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“Liberty University takes nothing more seriously than claims that a faculty member has had inappropriate sexual contact with one of our students, something for which there is zero tolerance," the statement said. “We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness, care, and concern. With the student’s consent, the university turned the matter over to the appropriate legal authorities and the faculty member in question was arrested.”
The Lynchburg Public Defender’s Office, which is representing Atwell, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Phone numbers listed for Atwell were not working Friday.
The case comes as Liberty University faces questions about its handling of sexual assaults.
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Twelve students sued Liberty in July, claiming the university mishandled reports of sexual assaults and rape. The lawsuit filed in federal court in New York alleges students were urged not to file reports about sexual assaults or they were fined for honor code violations after reporting incidents.
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Lawsuit claims Liberty University mishandled sexual assault claims
The school follows what it calls the “Liberty Way,” which prohibits sexual contact between unmarried people, bans students from visiting alone with fellow students of the opposite sex, and prohibits them from knowingly attending parties where alcohol is served, among other things.
At the time the suit was filed, university President Jerry Prevo released a statement saying he was “deeply troubled” by the allegations.
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“Many of the claims are the complete opposite of how the University’s policies and procedures were designed to operate over the years,” the statement said. “Liberty has invested mightily in programs and personnel to help maintain a safe campus and to support any and all victims of sexual assault that came forward.”
A university spokesman said the two sides are exploring mediation to resolve the lawsuit.
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In October, Liberty’s former spokesman, Scott Lamb, also sued the school, claiming he was fired for highlighting the university’s poor handling of sexual assault and harassment. The university denied Lamb’s allegations and filed a countersuit against him for defamation.
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It’s not the only lawsuit the school has filed. In April, Liberty sued former president Jerry Falwell Jr., claiming he had breached his contract by covering up a personal scandal. Falwell said in response that the lawsuit is “full of lies and half truths."
Falwell agreed to resign as president in August 2020 after allegations surfaced that his wife had a sexual relationship with another man and Falwell watched and sometimes recorded the sex. Falwell denied taking part in the affair, but he and his wife acknowledged that she had taken part.
Liberty was founded by Falwell’s father, televangelist Jerry Falwell, and is one of the world’s largest Christian universities. It has also played an important role in conservative politics.