USC Students Say Sexual Abuse Hotline Was A Disappointment

In May, as a stream of abuse allegations against former USC gynecologist George Tyndall turned into a fast-moving river, USC created a telephone hotline for victims to report what had happened to them.

In promoting the hotline on its website, the university said, "We understand how difficult this may be, and we pledge to handle your outreach with compassion and sensitivity."

But a number of women who called the hotline told LAist the experience left them feeling a mixture of anger and betrayal. Almost all of the two dozen students we interviewed talked of long waits, a lack of emotional support and few follow-ups (though a few said they did get follow up calls and referrals to counseling). read more »

Police found trove of nude images of women in ex-USC gynecologist’s storage unit

Shortly after Los Angeles police launched an investigation into Dr. George Tyndall last spring, a team of detectives began surreptitiously following the former USC gynecologist.

The 71-year-old passed most of his days inside a condominium he owns near Lafayette Park, but on at least two occasions, Tyndall drove to a self-storage facility and spent time inside a rental unit, police said.

When investigators subsequently raided the unit, they found a trove of homemade pornography and a smaller set of photos of unclothed women in what appeared to be a medical exam room, according to LAPD Capt. Billy Hayes.

Those images have become part of the investigation into whether Tyndall sexually abused hundreds of students over his three-decade career at USC’s student health center. Detectives are trying to determine whether the pictures show patients at campus clinic appointments, and are working to establish the identities of the women. read more »

With #MeToo In Mind, Employers Balance Workers' Privacy With Transparent Probes

Google pledged to make its sexual harassment investigations more transparent, after its employees protested its handling of past cases. Workers want more accountability but there are privacy concerns. read more »