Dr Anderson & U Michigan sexual abuse scandals

[HardaddyMA]

{NOTE: I sincerely hope posting this question does not violate any standards of ‘ground rules’ for this site.}

Dr Robert Anderson, Director of University of Michigan’s University Health Services-from 1966 to 2003, has been repeatedly (posthumously) accused of reportedly subjecting hundreds of University of Michigan students (mostly men) of being responsible for sexually abusing them, including repeated sexual manipulation of young men’s penises and genitals, unnecessary and unwanted rectal exams and forced anal sex, all without their permission or consent.

Obviously, any person that was subjected to this sexually predatory activity when they were younger, needs to be treated with compassion, sympathy and the need for respect to help them deal with the pain, shame and trauma of this unjustified behavior. I have only the deepest respect for them.

But I am wondering about the young men who may have been interested or even secretly curious about ‘gay sex’ could have experienced their first male-on-male sexual contact with this monster- how it would have affected your sense of self-concept or how it shaped your later sexual development.

Again, I am NOT condoning the depraved sexual abuse of hundreds of young people- anyone who suffered abuse and rape at the hands of this monster need our understanding and support. But for someone who may have questioned their sexuality or had been curious about man-sex; how did that process feel??

[ErosWired]

Are you asking for victims of Dr. Anderson’s alleged criminal actions who may be members of this forum to come forward and make public statements here? Such statements could potentially be prejudicial in a court of law should that member seek redress for those wrongs from the University of Michigan. Cases have been brought in this matter.

While there is nothing inherently wrong in a victim speaking about his experience, be it positive or negative, I would not recommend any such person here involved with the specific matter in question engage the topic. Others here can speak to this better than I, but I would think it imprudent.

[HardaddyMA]

I am sorry I was not clear about my intentions- I would not want to ask any person who had been harmed in this tragedy of betrayal to relate any of the details or experiences. My question is more a hypothetical one- how could a whole system that was set up to protect the health of young people condemn them to such cruel abuse?

For myself; I can only imagine that I would be a very different gay man and sexual being IF my introduction to sexual intimacy was achieved through the deceit and betrayal of someone to whom my health was entrusted. How could the world around me that was created to take care of my physical and emotional health and to make my life experiences positive and affirming fail so many so completely?? I guess I have to ask how an entire system of coaches, educators and staff at a major educational institution let this happen??

I hope this clarifies what I am asking about and I doubt that there is any reasonable answer- the fact that this form of 'abuse by silence' is so prevalent?

[BootmanLA]

1 hour ago, HardaddyMA said:

I guess I have to ask how an entire system of coaches, educators and staff at a major educational institution let this happen??

I hope this clarifies what I am asking about and I doubt that there is any reasonable answer- the fact that this form of 'abuse by silence' is so prevalent?

Because the system is set up to protect them.

That protection usually comes in one of two ways: either the abuser is personally connected to, and thus protected by, a network of the "old boys club" who look out for each other and turn the other way as long as it's possible (which used to be "forever"); or else the abuser is connected with a big-money sports operation (LSU football, Penn State football, women's Olympics gymnastics, OSU wrestling, etc.) and so ranks close around the abuser in order to protect the revenue streams.

Because victims are shamed when they come forward - the same cops that asked women "what were you wearing when you were 'raped'?" to imply they were asking for it (and thus discouraged women from reporting it) are the ones investigating this kind of abuse - with the added implication that because you were asking for it, you must also be secretly gay, right?