Ivy researcher sues ‘perv prof’
A tenured Columbia University professor loved to boast about his sex life to an underling, including his views that hookers are healthy for men, it emerged in Manhattan federal court Tuesday.
Italian researcher Enrichetta Ravina took the witness stand in her $30 million sexual-harassment case against the university and said tenured professor Geert Bekaert talked about sex with her “quite frequently” when they were working together in 2013.
Among the topics Bekaert brought up with Ravina, who is from Torino, Italy, is why prostitutes are “important” for men, she told the jury.
“He told me the prosti- tutes are important. They keep men out of trouble,” Ravina said.
In another instance, Bakaert told Ravina about propositioning the “young black” doctor he met at a doctor’s appointment for a date.
Asked why Bakaert spoke to Ravina about these things, she said, “He was telling me how desirable he was.”
“When he was thinking about me he was thinking about sex,” Ravina added. “He was putting sex and work together.”
Ravina has sued claiming Bakaert attempted to use his position and influence to impose a sexual relationship on her — and then tried to sabotage her career when it failed.
Columbia knew this was happening and did nothing to stop it, she said.
Lawyers for Columbia and Bekaert say Ravina is crying wolf because she failed to get tenure on merit.