Individuals have come forward alleging that a former University of Michigan physician sexually abused them during medical exams, with one accuser saying Dr. Robert E. Anderson’s actions over several decades made him a “sexual predator.”
The former patients allege that Anderson used his position to repeatedly and regularly sexually assault University students under the guise of providing medical care.
The University of Michigan, located in Ann Arbor, revealed last month that it was investigating multiple allegations of abuse against Anderson, who died in 2008. As of February 2020, the University said it had received more than 100 complaints related to Anderson’s sexual abuse of former students.
Currently filed lawsuits accuse the university of failing to remove Anderson despite multiple complaints about him being brought to the university during his employment. It’s not too late to join these accusers – contact us today to learn more about your rights.
Pattern of Pervasive Abuse Revealed
Robert Julian Stone first told The Associated Press that Anderson assaulted him during a medical appointment at the university’s health center in 1971. Stone said he alerted university officials last summer, inspired by the national #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct.
Anderson was the former director of University Health Service and was a team physician for various sports at the university from 1966 until his retirement in 2003. He was the football team’s physician for over three decades, working with coaches such as Bo Shembechler and Lloyd Carr.
According to University of Michigan police reports, Thomas Easthope, then associate director of students, removed Anderson in 1979 from his health service post for "fooling around with male students," but the doctor went on to be the team physician for the University of Michigan football team and other athletic squads until his retirement in 2003.
Easthope initially told detectives he fired Anderson "on the spot," but shortly thereafter said he may have allowed the doctor to resign. He told the officers he believed Anderson had returned to private practice and expressed shock that he had remained employed by the university until 2003.
Sexual Abuse by College Doctors Exposed
These allegations echo similar high-profile college sexual abuse allegations and scandals that have rocked other renowned institutions and athletic programs across the country. Within the past decade, sexual abuse scandals have shaken schools like Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State to their core.
In 2011, the Patriot-News broke the story that former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was being investigated by a grand jury. Sandusky ultimately was convicted of 45 counts of child sexual abuse and sentenced to prison.
A 2016 investigation of sexual abuse in USA Gymnastics alerted the media to the decades-long sexual abuse of girls by former Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar. Hundreds of young women and girls said they were molested under the guise of treatment for back problems and other injuries. He is now serving what are effectively life sentences for child pornography possession and sexual assault.
In 2018, about 350 men sued Ohio State University over their alleged abuse by the late Dr. Richard Strauss employed by university decades ago. At Ohio State, Strauss was accused of abusing students over nearly two decades beginning in the late 1970s. Since those allegations first arose, the school says it has learned of more than 1,000 instances of alleged sexual misconduct by the late doctor.
Let Our Experience Be Your Strength
Cory Watson Attorneys are leading the way on helping sexual abuse survivors and fighting for justice on behalf of student-athletes sexually abused by Dr. Robert Anderson. We encourage those who have been harmed by Anderson, or who have evidence of his misconduct, to come forward.
Our dedicated sexual assault lawyers have experience taking on predators who take advantage of innocent individuals. We have won substantial settlements for our clients and are ready to fight for you.
If you or a loved one was sexually abused by Dr. Robert Anderson, contact us today about your legal rights and potential recovery. Get in touch with our award-winning sexual abuse attorneys by calling (877) 562-0000 or by using the secure form below.
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