Canada’s York University is suing Toronto Life magazine over an October article about the university, the Toronto Star reported.
The article, titled “York Fortress,” said that York University was “a hunting ground for sexual predators.” It isn’t published on Toronto Life’s website, but a summary of the article from the October issue’s table of contents reads:
“Fortress York After a series of notorious assaults, York University spent millions on safety measures, but students are still afraid of who lurks in the bushes. How a campus becomes a hunting ground for sexual predators:
York University President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri responded to the article in a lengthy Sept. 17 statement on the university’s website. Shoukri said the Toronto Life article “presents a wholly distorted picture of women’s safety on the campus of York University” and “employs one out-of-context statistic to make sweeping and misleading generalizations that foster an atmosphere of fear.”
York University’s spokesperson Joanne Rider confirmed to the Star that “a notice of libel was served to Toronto Life Publishing Limited and the author of the article in question.” According to the Star,”A notice of libel must be served before an individual or institution can file a libel claim.”