The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is partnering with former Ohio State and University of Michigan student-athletes who were sexually abused by team doctors to prevent future instances of sexual abuse. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is partnering with former Ohio State and University of Michigan student-athletes who were sexually abused by team doctors to prevent future sexual abuse.
In a virtual press conference Wednesday, attorney Michael Wright — who represents athletes abused by Ohio State and University of Michigan team doctors — said this partnership will educate young athletes nationwide about sexual abuse and how to recognize signs of abuse from coaches, trainers and others.
Callahan Walsh, an advocate for NCMEC, said at the conference the goal of the program is to work with athletes who have faced sexual assault to create a curriculum that young athletes and college sports teams can use to prevent sexual abuse.
“The nature of youth sports gives adults access to kids,” Walsh said. “The courage it takes to come forward and lend their voice and experience is unmatched and will make this world a safer place for children.”
Walsh said the program will offer tips, discussion guides and modules for both parents and coaches. He said the material will be age-appropriate, and resources will be available to both youth and university athletes.
Mike Avery, a former member of Ohio State’s men’s lacrosse team from 1988-91, said at the conference former university physician Richard Strauss sexually assaulted him during multiple physical exams.
“I was shocked,” Avery said. “I said to one of my teammates, ‘I feel like I’ve just been assaulted.’”
Avery said he kept the abuse, which continued throughout his time at Ohio State, a secret due to shame. He said he didn’t share his story until the university announced it was investigating complaints related to sexual abuse by Strauss in the 2019 Perkins Coie report.
Strauss was a physician at the university’s Student Wellness Center and the team doctor for 17 varsity sports from 1978-98. An independent investigation in May 2019 found that Strauss sexually abused at least 177 students and student-athletes during his time at the university and that Ohio State failed to act.
Strauss died by suicide in 2005.
Chuck Christian, a former tight end for Michigan’s football team from 1979-80, said at the conference former university physician Robert Anderson raped him on multiple occasions, though he didn’t recognize it was assault at the time.
“As players, we didn’t realize what he was doing was wrong because if he was asking us to do certain things or he was doing certain things to us, we figured there was a medical reason for it,” Christian said.
When he brought up the assault to older teammates, he was told, “Oh yeah, you’re going to have to get used to it for the next four years,” Christian said.
Anderson was a physician at the University of Michigan from 1966-99. A May 11 independent investigation found hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse against Anderson credible. It also found the university’s response to sexual abuse allegations has improved in recent years, but recommended it improve responses to misconduct.
Anderson died in 2008.
Christian said he hopes by sharing his experience with sexual abuse, he can protect others from future abuse.
