Protesters advocate for Strauss victims outside The ‘Shoe before the Ohio State – Michigan game on Nov. 26, 2022. Announced Feb. 5, Ohio State has settled with eight more plaintiffs, with less then half still in litigation. Credit: Christian Harsa | Former Managing Editor for Digital Content
Ohio State has reached an agreement with 13 more plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit on how the university handled Dr. Richard Strauss’ sexual abuse.
In a press release Wednesday, Ohio State said that the survivors agreed to about $138,000 each, totaling $1.8 million.
They are now among the 317 survivors who have settled, the release said. Ohio State now has 209 survivors who have yet to reach an agreement.
Overall, the average settlement is around $252,000 per person, a fraction of what other universities have paid to settle similar high-profile sex abuse cases, per prior Lantern reporting. This does not account for this most recent batch of settlements, nor the last group.
Strauss was an athletic team doctor for men’s sports and a physician at the Student Health Center from 1978-98, per prior Lantern reporting. Throughout his tenure, Strauss sexually abused at least 177 male students, with university officials aware of the abuse as early as of 1979.
Strauss died by suicide in 2005. Since 2018, over 500 survivors filed lawsuits against Ohio State for its lack of response to Strauss’ sexual abuse.
Ohio State has had six earlier settlement agreements, according to the release. Three in 2020, two in 2022 and one this year.
According to the press release, those who filed lawsuits were previously offered substantial settlements as part of earlier agreements.
Ohio State has also covered the cost of professionally certified counseling services and other medical treatment for survivors and their families, including reimbursing survivors for counseling and treatment received in the past.
