Overview: SURVIVING OHIO STATE tells the story of the male victims of Dr. Richard Strauss, a sports medicine physician and serial sex abuser employed by The Ohio State University (OSU) from 1978 to 1998. Bravely told by the student-athletes and others who concealed their trauma for years, the film builds on the efforts of whistleblowers and journalists who exposed the scandal in 2018. It also examines the culture that allowed the abuse to continue unchecked for nearly two decades at OSU, as well as the survivors’ present-day fight to hold the school accountable. Based on Jon Wertheim’s Sports Illustrated cover story “Why Aren’t More People Talking About the Ohio State Sex Abuse Scandal,” this film features numerous male athletes who have come forward to share their experiences of abuse during their time at OSU. Directed and produced by Eva Orner. Debut Date: Tuesday, July 17, 2025.
Expectations: Living close enough to Penn State University, I vividly recall the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal there and the fallout of Coach Joe Paterno. I am also well aware of the Olympic doctor Nassar and his outcome. However, I am not entirely clear on all the instances surrounding the Ohio State scandal. I knew at the time that there was more beneath the surface than initially thought, and that the university was refuting it all. I will appreciate the clarity this documentary presents.
Gut Reaction: There was a lot more to this scandal than I realized. How blatantly the university stayed silent on this to protect their image and reputation, from the whole athletic department to the highest Board on campus. Their actions proved just as appalling as the abuse. They didn’t care about the trauma students faced at the hands of Dr. Strauss, just about OSU’s image. This scandal weakens the institution far deeper than the Penn State scandal because PSU turned around and did the right thing, including admonishing Head Coach Joe Paterno at the time for turning a blind eye to his colleague.
OSU did nothing, even when a fencing coach first called student complaints about the staff’s sports doctor. Scores of misconduct later, when Strauss was the campus-wide doctor, a non-athlete went in for a non-sport injury, and his genitalia was still examined. Only then did real attention start happening. Once there was a solid platform to begin an investigation, victims began to speak up. Even though the perpetrator moved on from the campus and ultimately died by suicide, to date, OSU has done nothing.
Conclusion: Unbelievable. I could have gone on with a more lengthy screed about this, but the impact of it all is best served by watching the documentary, which I strongly recommend. Greedy, high-up snobs don’t care about the little person. That is not a shocker at all, but what is, is how hard it is for macho men to reveal that they were not strong enough prevent being touched and aroused by someone without consent, how hard it is still to talk about it, and how hard it is to come forward. It all could have been different and more short-lived if they were more mature, but they are not to blame for any of it. OSU, on the other hand…
