Graduate Students File Lawsuit Claiming Harvard University Enabled Sexual Harassment

BOSTON (CBS) – Three graduate students are suing Harvard University over sexual harassment claims against a professor.

The women claim the school ignored a decade of harassment complaints against anthropology professor John Comaroff and say that the school enabled Comaroff's harassment to continue.

The suit, which was filed on Tuesday, said Comaroff "kissed and groped students without their consent, made unwelcome sexual advances, and threatened to sabotage students' careers if they complained."

In a statement, Harvard said it "acknowledged the complaints" of the three students and put Comaroff on unpaid leave for the spring semester and limited his teaching and advising activities through the 2022-2023 year.

"Harvard University disputes the allegations of the lawsuit brought by Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP, which are in no way a fair or accurate representation of the thoughtful steps taken by the University in response to concerns that were brought forward, the thorough reviews conducted, and the results of those reviews."

Comaroff is on unpaid leave.