Sexual assault survivors are expressing outrage over a report released by Columbia University on October 10, 2023, addressing decades of abuse committed by former gynecologist Robert Hadden. This report follows a settlement fund established in response to survivors’ calls for accountability and an investigation launched earlier this year. Survivors are questioning why it took the university so long to respond and argue that the report fails to address numerous critical issues.
At a press conference on Friday, survivors criticized the report, describing it as inadequate and primarily serving as a “damage control” measure. Survivor Marissa Hoechstetter remarked, “This report, this piece of [expletive], and the university’s other promises only came when the campus community and survivors’ voices grew louder.”
An external investigation commissioned by Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital identified three main factors that allowed Hadden’s abuse to persist: “Weaknesses in chaperone staffing, training, policies, and enforcement,” obstacles to reporting misconduct by both patients and staff, and a failure of the institutions to act effectively on received reports of misconduct.
Survivor Evelyn Yang emphasized the need for clarity, stating, “What survivors have been asking for years is not just how the abuse happened, but who in leadership coordinated the well-documented cover-up after Dr. Hadden was finally exposed.”
In a related development, the New York Attorney General announced an ongoing investigation into the institutional response to Hadden’s misconduct. Survivors have also outlined their demands for accountability. Hoechstetter called for “a full reckoning and public statement of apology and atonement from administrators named in the report who had information and could’ve moved to protect patients, but did not.” Additionally, they are seeking the full dismissal of two executives who stepped down following the report’s release.
The survivors made it clear that their fight is far from over. One survivor declared, “We will still stand here, and we’re not going anywhere,” while another added, “We are not done.”
Columbia University responded by reiterating a message sent to the community, stating, “While we cannot undo the harm of the past, we are firmly committed to ensuring that nothing like this can happen again.”
Hadden, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2023 for federal charges of sexually abusing patients during medical examinations, has a history of abuse that reportedly dates back to the 1980s. Prior to his federal conviction, Hadden accepted a plea deal in state court in 2016, which resulted in the loss of his medical license. He had already left Columbia in 2012.
The fallout from the report continues to affect the survivors, who are determined to hold the institutions accountable for their actions and inactions over the years. The ongoing dialogue underscores the need for systemic changes to ensure the safety of patients and the integrity of medical practices.
