The University of California has agreed to pay nearly $244 million in compensation to some 200 women who accuse a former gynecologist employed by the university network, James Heaps, of sexual assault.
This amicable agreement, unveiled on Tuesday February 8, relates to civil complaints from patients concerning facts which date back for some to 1983.
Read alsoSeine-et-Marne: a sexual aggressor acting in the RER sentenced
Hundreds of complainants have accused the gynecologist specializing in oncology of sexual abuse, and accuse UCLA University, which employed him, of having covered up his actions and of not having taken any action against him despite reports.
"
The behavior attributed to Heaps is reprehensible and contrary to the values of the university
," said the latter in a press release, saying "
admire the courage of the complainants who have come forward
".
Criminal prosecution
The agreement announced Tuesday is in addition to a class action brought by more than 5,000 patients which resulted in compensation of 73 million dollars.
Some 300 additional women have filed civil complaints against James Heaps, who is also facing criminal charges for assaults on seven women.
Last month, the University of Michigan (north) announced that it would pay nearly half a billion dollars to a thousand former students and athletes sexually assaulted by a doctor at this establishment, Richard Anderson.
In another case, the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles had agreed to pay a total of 1.1 billion dollars through three separate agreements to hundreds of women victims of a former gynecologist employed on the campus, the largest amount of this type of compensation recorded to date.