NEW HAMPSHIRE
Boston Globe
By Nestor Ramos GLOBE STAFF AUGUST 16, 2016
Victims advocates and legal observers expressed consternation on Monday about a New Hampshire prep school’s request to reveal the identity of a teenage sexual assault victim if her family’s lawsuit against the school reaches trial.
In raising the issue of the girl’s continued anonymity, St. Paul’s School is leaning on legal strategies that are common in high-profile civil cases involving sexual assault, lawyers said. But because St. Paul’s is an educational institution responsible for keeping children safe, the tactic left some scratching — or shaking — their heads.
“I find it really troubling,” said Christina Gagnier, a lawyer who is on the board of directors of Without My Consent, a nonprofit organization that combats online privacy invasions. “You set a very dangerous precedent, particularly when it’s an educational institution.”
In the federal court system, where the lawsuit against St. Paul’s was filed, plaintiffs legally must file with their real names. Anonymity is granted to plaintiffs only in exceptional cases. In deciding whether to permit a civil lawsuit to be brought anonymously, judges must balance the interests of the plaintiff and the defendant.
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