University Of Michigan Ignored Reports Of Abuse

A law firm hired by the University of Michigan says the school missed warning signs and failed to stop a serial sexual abuser.

WilmerHale released the findings Tuesday that had reports from more than 300 former patients and 200 former employees regarding former school doctor Robert Anderson.

Anderson served as the school's head of University Health Services before officially becoming the athletic department's team physician.

The firm found that Anderson engaged in "countless occasions" of sexual misconduct, and that authority figures at the Ann Arbor school heard specific accusations but failed to stop him.

Hundreds of former patients, including former Wolverine athletes, claim the doctor harassed and assaulted them during treatment. Anderson worked at the university from 1966 to 2003 and died in 2008 before claims of abuse were made public.

The Detroit News reports that the total number of Anderson's victims is unknown, but the university is currently in mediation with around 850 victims.

While it is unclear who all knew of Anderson's behavior, though the report does name some including former University of Michigan head football coach Bo Schembechler. According to the report, Schembechler told one student athlete who spoke to him about inappropriate behavior from Anderson to "toughen up".

The University of Michigan released a statement following the release of the report saying,

The University of Michigan offers its heartfelt apology for the abuse perpetrated by the late Robert Anderson. We will thoughtfully and diligently review and assess the report’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations; and we will work to regain the trust of survivors and to assure that we foster a safe environment for our students, our employees, and our community.

You can read the full 240-page WilmerHale report here.