Truths untold: ‘Some are guilty, but all are responsible’
by Sarah Szilagy
Truths untold: ‘Some are guilty, but all are responsible’
by Sarah Szilagy
“Truths untold” is a series featuring the voices and stories of victims and survivors of Richard Strauss, a former university physician who sexually assaulted students and student-athletes during his 20-year tenure at Ohio State. Each episode focuses on one person’s story: their experiences with Strauss, how his abuse affected them and how their lives have been impacted in the past three years since survivors started coming forward.
The second episode tells the story of Gary Avis, the team manager for the Ohio State men’s gymnastics team from 1983-84.
Details pertaining to sexual assault, violence and harassment may be disturbing or triggering for some readers and listeners.
A style note
Throughout this project, the words “victim” and “survivor” are used interchangeably and together. For many people who have experienced sexual violence, the ability to identify as one or the other is important. The Lantern’s style is to use sources’ preferences when possible, and men who have come forward about Strauss’ abuse use both “victim” and “survivor” to describe themselves.
For Gary Avis, the choice to speak out never really feels like a choice, but rather a responsibility.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Avis witnessed the devastation of the AIDS crisis firsthand; he watched several of his friends die from the disease that, for years, was referred to as the “gay plague.” With a doctor, he wrote articles for a Columbus-based gay and lesbian newspaper outlining resources for people with HIV and AIDS.
By having his name published in such a publication, Avis knew there were potential risks, like his employer firing him if they found out he was gay. But he said the rallying cry of national AIDS-awareness organization ACT UP speaks to the duty he felt to provide crucial health information to the public.
“In ACT UP, they would say, ‘Silence equals death, action equals power,’ ” Avis said. “These are basic lessons that I’ve learned. Sitting on the sidelines is not something I can do.”
That same feeling of responsibility to his friends and loved ones with AIDS is how Avis feels now about speaking out on the abuse he endured at the hands of Richard Strauss.
Strauss was a team sports doctor and physician at the Student Health Center from 1978-98 who sexually abused and harassed hundreds of students during his tenure. An independent investigation found in 2019 that university officials were aware of complaints about Strauss as early as 1979 but failed to act.
“Even a blind man could see what was happening in that locker room.”
Strauss sexually assaulted Avis while serving as the Ohio State men’s gymnastics team manager in 1983. He first came forward about his experience in 2018 before deciding to be named as an anonymous John Doe in his lawsuit against the university. But in the past few months, Avis said he’s felt compelled to share his story, name and all, so he can help prevent that abuse from happening to any other person — especially current students.
“It’s not like just because Strauss is gone or Strauss is dead that things are OK now. It’s not,” Avis said. “That stuff happened because the culture is messed up, and it’s just not — magically hasn’t gone away. There has to be a huge shift.”
Words by Sarah Szilagy
Audio by Sarah Szilagy and Maya Neyman
Photos courtesy of Christian Harsa and Gary Avis
Web Design by Marcus Horton and Aayushi Dubey