(WXYZ) — The man who first alerted the University of Michigan about a deceased doctor's alleged sexual abuse held a press conference Thursday.
Others who say they were abused by Dr. Robert Anderson's medical exams also spoke.
In July 2018, a letter was sent to the athletic director of the University of Michigan detailing abuse from Anderson, who died in 2008. The letter alleged sexual abuse during medical exams that Anderson conducted in the early '70s.
The president of the University of Michigan said a police investigation found significant evidence of abuse, stating there are at least five other victims.
The man who wrote the letter spoke Thursday along with three former Wolverine wrestlers, including former 2008 Olympic wrestler Andy Hrovat.
The University of Michigan released the following statement after the conference:
The three brave men who came forward today to share their stories delivered a powerful message.
We want to encourage everyone harmed by Robert E. Anderson or who has evidence of his misconduct to come forward. At the University of Michigan we want to hear your voices.
As U-M President Mark Schlissel has said, we are deeply sorry for the harm caused by Anderson.
The university engaged a firm with deep expertise to conduct an independent, thorough, and unflinching review of the facts – wherever they may lead. Through the work of this independent firm, there will be a full, public accounting of the harms caused by Anderson as well as the institutional failings that allowed him to keep practicing.
We again urge anyone to come forward and talk directly and confidentially to our outside, independent investigators. It is truly important for the investigators to hear the voices of survivors for the investigators to understand the full scope of harm and its root causes.
And we want those who come forward to get the counseling the may need. To facilitate that, the university is offering counseling services to anyone affected by Anderson. The university is in the midst of engaging a national counseling firm to coordinate this care with local counselors in communities where these individuals now live.
