Richard Strauss in his Ohio State College of Medicine photograph. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State
A new survivor of former university physician Richard Strauss has confirmed that Strauss was not only abusing college students and athletes, but high school students in Columbus.
Jeffrey Happ, the former Chief of the Columbus Division of Fire, announced on Thursday that he was first sexually abused by Strauss when he was 15, with the abuse continuing through his sophomore and junior years at Bishop Ready High School, according to a press release from The Athlete Coalition.
“This confirms what many survivors have long known; that Richard Strauss’ abuse extended beyond the Ohio State campus and into the youth sports community here in Columbus,” Happ said. “I was just a teenager when this happened. For years, I stayed silent out of concern for how coming forward might affect the firefighters I was honored to lead and serve alongside. Now that I’ve retired, I feel a responsibility to tell the truth. If sharing my story helps even one person who has been suffering in silence, it’s worth it.”
Happ said in the release that the abuse occurred during a “body fat study,” conducted by Strauss, that was authorized and paid for by the university.
Happ was a multi-sport athlete at Bishop Ready where he served as the wrestling team captain in 1984 and was an all-state performer and team captain for the football team. He later played college football at Miami University.
According to the release, Happ said that like other survivors of Strauss, his fear of retaliation and concern for the members of the Division of Fire led to his reluctance to come forward earlier.?
Michael DiSabato, Happ’s former teammate for both football and wrestling, has spoken about the Strauss case in the past and said that he supports Happ’s decision to speak out.?
“Jeff Happ was an elite athlete and he is an elite human being,” DiSabato said in the release. “He is one of the most decorated high school athletes to ever compete for Bishop Ready and the leader we all looked up to. The fact that he carried this for so many years while serving his community tells you everything about the shame and silence imposed on Strauss’ victims. Jeff speaking out now sends a powerful message to survivors everywhere: you are not alone, and you have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Strauss worked at the university from 1978-98. He abused at least 177 students, mostly male athletes, during his tenure at the university. He died by suicide in 2005, and the university is facing a class-action lawsuit filed by Strauss survivors on how the university handled Strauss’ abuse, per prior Lantern reporting. Ohio State has provided more than $61 million in settlements to survivors, though some continue to speak out.?
According to the release, Happ said that by sharing his experience, he hopes that he can help remove the stigma associated with male-on-male sexual abuse and provide comfort to other people who may be suffering in silence.
