http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2004/July/06/local/stories/04local.htm

/WATSONVILLE -- A woman who says she was raped at a drug- treatment center has sued Narconon of Northern California and its parent company, Narconon International, alleging she was assaulted by a staff member while undergoing treatment in November 2003.The suit alleges that when notified of the assault, staff at the Watsonville treatment center failed to respond in an appropriate manner and took the unidentified, out- of-state woman out of treatment. The Sentinel is not identifying the plaintiff because of the nature of the crime.In February, the incident was reported to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, which investigated and turned it over to the District Attorney's Office. A decision on whether to prosecute has yet to be made, prosecutor Jeff Rosell said.Due to federal privacy laws, Narconon would not confirm that the woman was in their drug-treatment program. "We are taking this very seriously and are conducting an internal investigation," Narconon President Clark Carr said from the company's Los Angeles headquarters.Narconon, which has offered drug-treatment programs in California since 1970, is a subsidiary of the Association for Better Living and Education, founded in 1988. The company runs more than 100 rehabilitation and drug-prevention centers worldwide, including three in California.The suit seeks an unspecified amount in damages for the alleged assault and 15 other charges, including infliction of emotional distress, negligence and breach of contract. If found guilty, punitive damages are awarded based on the wealth of the defendant. Narconon of Northern California and Narconon International reported assets of $1.6 million and $1 million to the IRS in 2002, respectively. [...