Cathy Kalahar attended the University of Michigan where she played tennis in the early 1970’s, and she’s now the first female to come forward to accuse former doctor Robert Anderson of sexual abuse during a physical.
Anderson, who died in 2008, was the University Health Service and team physician for the UM Athletic Department for decades before retiring in 2003.
According to Kalahar, she told a UM official at the time who simply responded that she was “simply having sexual fantasies”. Kalahar says that Anderson examined her eyes and ears and then breats, followed by crude comments.
“Anderson was abrupt, crude and mean,” said Kalahar said. “I view (him) as a serial sexual predator with a network of cohorts who knowingly engaged in a coverup … .”
“His comments shocked and frightened me,” Kalahar continued. “For months, I felt angry, hurt, depressed, ugly, confused and afraid. I sometimes crossed the street to stay away from that building where he worked.”
Kalahar then said that Anderson penetrated her with his fingers.
“I wanted to disappear from the exam table and into the wall,” she said.
Following months of PTSD and panic attacks, Kalahar said she reported the incident to a female therapist, though she didn’t believe the story.
“She insisted what I told her were merely my fantasies and reflected my wish of what I had hoped from the doctor,” Kalahar said. “I was totally shocked. I was extremely confused that a woman therapist refused to believe me, that I had been sexually assaulted.”
Per UM spokeman Rick Fitzgerald, nearly unique 400 complaints against the late doctor are being investigated.
“Silence allowed Anderson to victimize hundreds of victims as he continued his university affiliation and (had) access to hundreds of athletes,” Kalahar said.
– – Quotes via Kim Kozlowski of The Detroit News Link – –