Multiple class-action lawsuits against the University of Southern California claim the university failed to take action and speak out about decades of sexual abuse by campus gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall.
According to Fox News, at least 500 current and former students have complaints, dating back to 1988, alleging that Dr. Tyndall touched them inappropriately and took pictures. Two new lawsuits were filed on Thursday on behalf of 93 women and “accuse USC of deliberately concealing the abuse for decades.”
Attorney Andy Rubenstein’s firm is representing hundreds of Tyndall’s former patients. In a statement, he said that “the survivors we represent are furious, and rightfully so. They are not going away.”
“Generations of Trojan women have had to endure the same emotional pain and scars because USC did nothing,” Rubenstein said, according to The Los Angeles Times. “Since this story broke nearly six months ago, there has been no significant effort by USC to come clean or enact substantive change in the way it handles allegations of sexual assaults against its staff.”
In response, the university has said they want to settle the cases “as quickly as possible.” USC has proposed a $215 million settlement. Reports say it would provide compensation between $2,500 – $250,000 to former patients. The settlement would also include up to $25 million in fees.
“Many of the hundreds of women who have stepped forward to speak up about what happened to them at USC felt powerless against the university and Dr. Tyndall,” said attorney Steve Berman. “We are pleased that this proposed settlement will bring meaningful recovery to this class of women, without intensive litigation and discovery directed at the victims, and provides a relatively simple process to have their cases evaluated.”
In a statement, USC’s interim president Wanda Austin said, “I regret that any student ever felt uncomfortable, unsafe, or mistreated in any way as a result of the actions of a university employee.”
Read the full statement below and tell us your thoughts, Roommates. Do you think this settlement is enough?
“As of October 19, 2018, the university has reached agreement in principle on a $215 million class action settlement that will compensate students who received women’s health services from Dr. George Tyndall at USC’s student health center.
Our Board of Trustees supports this settlement, which was reached in collaboration with plaintiffs’ counsel, and which will provide relief to those who have been impacted by this difficult experience. By doing so, we hope that we can help our community move collectively toward reconciliation. I regret that any student ever felt uncomfortable, unsafe, or mistreated in any way as a result of the actions of a university employee.”
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