A retired deputy police chief and a former firefighter have come forward as survivors of sexual abuse by the former Ohio State University team doctor Richard Strauss.
Tim Becker and Todd Schroeck said in a news release that they were inspired to share their stories after retired Columbus Division of Fire Chief Jeffrey Happ said earlier this month that he was a victim of abuse by Strauss.
Becker retired from being a deputy chief with the Columbus Division of Police in 2023 after more than three decades with the department.
He claims that Strauss sexually abused him at the OSU student center in the mid-1980s when he sought treatment for a rash that he developed from cycling.
During his law enforcement career, Becker worked closely with victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence. He said he understands why many survivors remain silent for years.
"Male survivors often carry enormous shame and fear about speaking publicly,” Becker said in a statement. “Our legal system frequently fails sexual abuse victims through barriers like statutes of limitations, delayed justice, and institutional resistance. But stories like Jeff Happ’s showed me that speaking out can help others who have suffered in silence."
Schroeck, a former Columbus firefighter, said he was abused by Strauss during a body-fat examination connected to wrestling. Schroeck said he was 17 at the time.
Schroeck first spoke publicly about his abuse on the same day that Happ made his allegations. Schroeck said his decision was in solidarity with Happ and Michael DiSabato, the former OSU athlete who first reported Strauss' misconduct.
“Jeff Happ and Mike DiSabato’s courage made it possible for others like me to finally speak,” Schroeck said.
Happ, Becker and Schroeck all graduated from Bishop Ready High School on Columbus' west side.
Happ has said that he was just 15 years old when athletes from Bishop Ready were asked to participate in a body fat study conducted by Strauss that was paid for by Ohio State.
The university has settled with more than 300 survivors for more than $61 million, but hundreds of athletes are still actively suing. At the beginning of May, 30 former Ohio State football players said they planned to join a class-action lawsuit against the university.
"Since 2018, Ohio State has sincerely and persistently tried to reconcile with survivors through monetary and non-monetary means, including settlements, counseling services and other medical treatment," Ohio State spokesperson Chris Booker in a recent statement.
The Columbus Fire Union IAFF Local 67 and the Columbus Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 9 offered support to Happ, Becker and Schroeck in a joint statement.
The unions said survivors' experiences deserve to be heard "with respect, dignity, and seriousness."
"It is about acknowledging the importance of listening to those who have come forward, recognizing the lasting impact these issues can have on individuals and families, and reaffirming the principle that no institution is strengthened by silence," the statement reads.
Strauss worked for the university from 1978 to 1998. He died by suicide in 2005.
