'#RapeHoax' Posters Target University Accuser

A New York City college student who carried a mattress around campus to highlight her alleged rape ordeal has found herself the target of a backlash.

Emma Sulkowicz carried her mattress for the last time at her graduation from Columbia University on Tuesday.

Following the ceremony, posters featuring the words "pretty little liar" and "#RapeHoax" alongside a photo of her appeared around the college campus.

It is not clear who put up the large black-and-white posters, which also appeared on subway signs and on buildings, street lights and newspaper kiosks.

During the graduation, Columbia President Lee Bollinger turned his back on Ms Sulkowicz, appearing to refuse to shake her hand as she walked across the stage with the mattress.

Video of the incident showed Ms Sulkowicz shrugging after a brief pause and walking off.

The college had requested before the ceremony that attendees not bring "large objects" which could "create discomfort to others".

The university later said the missed handshake was unintentional.

Ms Sulkowicz says she was raped in August 2012 in her dorm room by her former friend, Paul Nungesser, after having consensual sex with him on two prior occasions.

He was cleared in 2013 of the rape allegation by Columbia University. Ms Sulkowicz did not press criminal charges.

Mr Nungesser, a German scholarship student, has sued Columbia, its president and other college officials .

He accuses them of failing to protect him from gender-based harassment by Ms Sulkowicz.

Mr Nungesser's parents issued a statement this week blaming the college for a "public witch-hunt" against their son.

His mother and father also complained that Ms Sulkowicz had put "highly disturbing and extremely graphic drawings of our son" on public exhibition at her final thesis show reception last week.

Mr Nungesser's lawsuit says the college allowed her to carry the mattress as part of her senior thesis in visual arts.

It also says a professor gave Ms Sulkowicz a course credit for her project.

Her mattress protest has inspired similar demonstrations by female students across the nation to highlight campus sexual assault.