Rep. Jim Jordan ‘turned a blind eye’ to sex abuse allegations, says former OSU wrestler amid House speaker battle
Rep. Jim Jordan 'turned a blind eye' to sex abuse allegations, says former OSU wrestler amid House speaker battle ABC News
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A former Ohio State University student-athlete speaks out against Rep. Jim Jordan’s bid for House speaker
A former Ohio State University student-athlete is speaking out against Rep. Jim Jordan’s bid for House speaker, saying Jordan “turned a blind eye” to allegations of abuse against a team doctor during his time as assistant coach for the university’s wrestling team.
Rocky Ratliff’s perspective
Rocky Ratliff, now an attorney representing several former OSU wrestlers in an ongoing lawsuit against the university, expressed his disapproval of Jordan’s candidacy. He stated, “I think the wrestlers that I represent, not one of us, would back him for such a leadership position.”
Ratliff emphasized that Jordan had abandoned them and chosen not to help when he could have. He believed that Jordan’s actions did not demonstrate the qualities of a leader that they would support.
Allegations against Dr. Richard Strauss
The allegations of abuse were against Dr. Richard Strauss, an Ohio State team doctor and sports medicine researcher. According to an independent report released in 2019, Strauss is accused of sexually abusing at least 177 men over an 18-year period from 1979 to 1997, which encompassed almost his entire tenure at Ohio State.
The report revealed that university officials ignored accusations of sexual abuse against Strauss for nearly two decades. Strauss ultimately took his own life in 2006 at the age of 67, seven years after retiring from the university.
The abuse allegations involved athletes from various sports, including wrestling, hockey, and swimming. The report also highlighted Strauss’ misconduct at the student health center and an off-campus clinic that he established later in his career.
Despite receiving student complaints and reporting his actions to the State Medical Board of Ohio in 1996, the university allowed Strauss to retain his tenured faculty position while he continued to abuse students at his off-campus clinic.
Ohio State University has acknowledged its failure to protect students from Strauss and has paid out $60 million in settlements to 296 victims.
Jordan’s involvement and response
Rep. Jim Jordan, who served as an assistant coach on the wrestling team from 1986 to 1994, faced allegations in 2018 that he was aware of Strauss’ inappropriate behavior and failed to report it. Jordan denied any knowledge of the abuse when the allegations first emerged.
Amid the ongoing battle for House speaker, Jordan is now facing renewed scrutiny. After failing to receive enough GOP support, he was defeated for a second time in the vote on Wednesday afternoon.
Ratliff called on Jordan to come forward and tell the truth about what happened. He also criticized Jordan for failing to meet with the wrestlers and hear their side of the story. Ratliff emphasized that Jordan had never reached out to any wrestler to apologize or express concern.
Conclusion
ABC News’ Eric Ortega, Imtiyaz Delawala, Lindsey Griswold, and Andrea Amiel contributed to this report.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs | No specific indicators mentioned in the article |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation | No specific indicators mentioned in the article |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels | No specific indicators mentioned in the article |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs
- Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
- Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
No specific indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs | No specific indicators mentioned in the article |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation | No specific indicators mentioned in the article |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels | No specific indicators mentioned in the article |
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Source: abcnews.go.com
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