A university doctor abused 177 students for 20 years

A sports team doctor from Ohio State University, USA, badually badaulted at least 177 students between 1979 and 1996. According to a report released Friday, school staff was aware of the charges, but ignored.

It is the doctor Richard Strauss, who committed suicide in 2005. According to the survey developed by the studies of the lawyers Coie LLP and Perkins, the university "came to know" badual abuse of 1979, but the charges in his against have been taken into consideration only in 1996.

That year, he was removed from his sporting doctor duties, although he remained on the university payroll until his retirement in 1998, reported the ####################################################> 39; agency. EFE. The victims of abuse were athletes from at least 15 sports and other students that Strauss had attended at the university health center or at his outpatient clinic.

"Strauss regularly performed Excessive bad exams for men and seemingly useless from the medical point of view, regardless of the medical condition presented by student-patients, "the report says.

The abuses ranged from touching to the point of erection or ejaculation, to the most subtle, such as asking under medical pretense to patients who undress completely without being necessary. Of the 520 former students surveyed to write the report, 177 admitted to having been abused by Strauss and 38 others said they had a similar experience with a doctor at that university, although they did not have the same experience. could not identify him.

"Many students felt that Strauss's behavior was a & # 39; secret to the voices & # 39;, believing that his coaches and medical staff were fully aware of Strauss' activities, even though few of them seemed willing to do anything to stop him, "revealed a study of the Coie LLP and Perkins studies.

The case could be very expensive at the university because of the number of lawsuits brought against them by the victims. Meanwhile, the rector of the institution, Michael Drake, expressed his "heartfelt sorrow and sincere apology to every person who has suffered the abuse of Strauss".

"On behalf of the University, we offer our deep repentance and sincere apologies to all those who have been abused by Strauss. The fundamental failure of our institution at the time to prevent these abuses is unacceptableas well as insufficient efforts to thoroughly investigate complaints lodged by students and staff members, "said Drake.

Although Strauss resigned from the university medical staff at the end of 1994, he remained in faculty until he retired from professor emeritus in 1998, an honorary post that the university revokes.

Drake said his school had put in place a protocol since the doctor's departure, such as setting up a badual violence counseling team, an anonymous centralized phone line and a training course. mandatory on badual prevention for students, teachers and staff. "The problems of badual misconduct and badual abuse represent a major challenge for our society," he added.