Harvard accused of ignoring sexual harassment in new suit

Three women filed suit against Harvard University on Tuesday for ignoring sexual harassment allegations, according to The New York Times.

Harvard graduate student Lilia Kilburn and two others filed suit in a Boston federal court against Harvard, accusing the university of ignoring allegations against John Comaroff, an anthropology professor, for years. They claim that the professor threatened to harm their academic careers should they report his alleged offenses, according to the news source. 

Kilburn alleged that Comaroff kissed her multiple times without her consent during meetings and at one point grabbed her thigh. 

She also said she told him that she had gone on a trip with her same-sex partner, emphasizing her partner’s pronouns to deflect his unwanted attention.

Kilburn told the Times in an interview that he told her she could be forced into “corrective rape” or killed if she was found to be in a same-sex relationship in parts of Africa. 

Kilburn claimed that Comaroff made the comment about rape with “a tone of enjoyment.”

“This was not normal office hours advice,” she said.

“Professor Comaroff categorically denies ever harassing or retaliating against any student,” Comaroff’s lawyers said in response to the suit.

The lawyers said that Comaroff’s comments about rape were safety advice for Kilburn and her partner while traveling in Cameroon, where homosexuality is criminalized. He also denied kissing, harassing or inappropriately touching students at Harvard, according to the newspaper. 

Many of the allegations were first detailed in the university’s newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, according to the Times. The lawsuit is the latest in a yearlong back-and-forth over the allegations. 

Harvard found that Comaroff engaged in verbal violations of policy when it came to gender-based harassment and professional conduct but has not found Comaroff responsible for claims of inappropriate physical or sexual conduct.

More than 90 academics signed an open letter before the lawsuit was filed backing Comaroff’s character and reputation.

But about 50 Harvard scholars signed an open letter in response, saying that their fellow academics responded too quickly in defense of Comaroff.

Comaroff was placed on administrative leave by Harvard for the spring semester and possibly longer.