A false allegation of sexual assault by one teen against another snowballs into a $1 million defamation case.

Sara Rubin here, to reiterate the message that if you are sexually assaulted, you deserve to be believed. Too often still, despite a societal movement to bring attention to the pervasiveness of sexual assault and harassment, this is not the case. One major setback is false allegations. 

In this particular case, one teen’s false allegations against another not only set back the important Me Too movement, they derailed both teens’ lives. And now, they’ve led to a $1 million legal settlement for defamation. It’s a stern reminder: You can’t make stuff up and get away with it. 

This situation involves serious allegations, made by Audrey Gill, then a student at Carmel High School, against Bryce Durham, then a student at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach. (Both of their fathers, Scott Gill and David Durham, are also involved, and the settlement resolves two parallel cases, the first filed in 2022 by the boy’s father against the girl’s, the second by the boy against the girl in 2023, after they had turned 18.)

On social media, Audrey Gill posted allegations about Bryce Durham, claiming that he had forced her to have sex; that he’d impregnated her twice then forced her to have abortions; that he’d physically and emotionally abused her; that he’d sent her threatening text messages; and more. When Stevenson School administrators learned of the alleged misconduct, they began an investigation. 

Eventually, Durham was cleared. But only after the swirling rumors forced him to leave the school. 

“As we do in all such cases, we refer the allegation to an independent investigator, and the student takes a leave of absence while the investigation proceeds,” Dr. Dan Griffiths, Head of Upper Division at Stevenson wrote in a 2022 letter on Bryce’s behalf. “In Bryce’s case, the investigator found no evidence in support of the claim. The investigation was initiated by a flurry of claims made by an individual on social media, and as a result Bruce was unfairly subjected to significant negative attention from his peers at Stevenson based on the nature of the unfounded allegations made on social media.”

Social media has proven itself to be a powerful tool in building a movement and empowering individuals, giving survivors of sexual abuse a chance to come forward and share their stories. But the flipside is that it can be just as easily weaponized against someone who faces justice in the public square, with zero requirement for proof. 

As Carmel High School graduates and students started posting on social media in 2021 about past experiences facing sexual assault and harassment, Stevenson’s dean, Erik Olson, wrote a lengthy letter to the campus community, including resources for victims.

“It is the school’s firm expectation that you will be respectful of your peers’ right to privacy, and not participate in the kind of gossip or judging behavior that may create a climate in which people are less likely to feel safe coming forward with the information upon which our community’s health and safety depends,” Olson added.

Less than two months later, Olson sent a follow-up note to say a Stevenson student had been named in a flurry of allegations on social media. It was the beginning of a downward spiral impacting Bryce Durham, complete with gossip and judgment. 

An investigation, two lawsuits and a $1 million lawsuit later, everyone involved has suffered, including an important movement.

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False allegations cost $1 million. P.G. council is split on roundabout. Bizness deal.