Dr. Strauss’ victims call on OSU for overdue justice
The university needs to take responsibility for the harm its indifference caused and take steps to ensure it never happens again.
The fact that OSU is attempting to have our lawsuit dismissed because of a loophole in the law speaks volumes about evading personal responsibility.
And that’s just wrong. We deserve our day in court.
We’ll testify that Strauss took advantage of us when we were naïve young men, since most of us had just graduated from high school when we arrived on campus. People often ask, “Why did it take so long for us to speak out?” Some of us were afraid of losing our scholarships, while others were embarrassed or ashamed.
“It’s not something guys want to talk about,” one victim said. “I think it’s more of a denial thing.”
The first complaint against Strauss was made in 1978, with complaints continuing to mount over the years. Finally, the university held a hearing in 1997, but did nothing — except grant Strauss tenure in 1998.
That’s just one example of the university’s indifference to the safety of its students and the Columbus community. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights took notice of OSU’s indifference when, after investigating a 2010 sexual harassment complaint against the marching band, it concluded OSU knew about the band’s hostile sexual environment and did nothing.
In 2014, OSU was alerted that an assistant diving coach was allegedly abusing diver Estee Pryor. Hundreds of naked photographs of an underage Pryor engaged in sexual acts with her alleged predator were turned over to the university four years ago. (Former dive coach William Bohonyl Jr. was indicted Nov. 30 on sexual misconduct charges in that case. Pryor has sued him and USA Diving but OSU, an initial defendant, has been dismissed from the civil suit.)
“So, it’s not surprising that now OSU is hiding behind a statute to avoid dealing with Strauss’ victims,” said a victim who wishes to remain anonymous. “I find this offensive. Essentially, the statute says an adult human in Ohio has just two years to report a sexual assault. Two years to sift through a bevy of emotions or no justice will be done.”
The victim also said, “Members of the Board of Trustees have apparently satisfied themselves that real men would never let themselves be abused. But I know that’s simply not true.” The anonymous victim, who is in law enforcement, has witnessed all manner of trauma during his career.
“I can tell the board that ‘this could have happened to you, too,’ and then they’d be saddled with the demons shared by many of Strauss’ victims,” he said.
Strauss’ abuse has manifested itself in different ways. I haven’t had a physical since 1982, and I won’t go into a locker room unless I know who’s in there.
Another victim, who blames Strauss for his ongoing trust and relationship issues, has been in therapy for years. He was ignored when he asked the university for help paying his therapist’s bills — yet another example of OSU abandoning its responsibility.
And make no mistake taking personal responsibility is important to victims. We know the university knew what was happening and demand the board of trustees acknowledge this by dropping its opposition to our lawsuit and engaging in the type of mediation that resulted in Larry Nassar’s Michigan State victims gaining a sense of justice.
Make your victims whole. We’ve waited long enough.