Judge Signs Off On $73M Preliminary Settlement in UCLA Doctor Case

MY NEWS L.A.

A federal judge has given preliminary approval of a settlement in which the University of California system agreed to pay $73 million to more than 5,500 women who were patients of a former UCLA gynecologist who has been charged with 20 felony counts of sexual assault, it was announced Monday.

The agreement – which requires the judge’s final approval in July – is part of a class-action suit against the university and ex-campus gynecologist James Heaps brought by women who say they were sexually abused and assaulted by the doctor at UCLA medical facilities. The settlement also requires UCLA to ensure stronger oversight procedures for identification, prevention and reporting of sexual misconduct. read more »

Human Trafficking, Sexual Violence Cases Triple Amid Pandemic

KITV-4

Amid the pandemic, human trafficking and sexual violence cases have tripled, according to Imua Alliance director Kris Coffield. Before the pandemic, the nonprofit organization fielded about 10 crisis calls a month. Now, they average about 50.

Coffield said the spike in cases is linked to the economic crisis and safety regulations brought about by the pandemic – people who lost their jobs are turning to trafficking and stay-at-home orders are forcing victims into isolation with their abusers. read more »

Why Is Fashion Still Ignoring Its #MeToo Moments?

HIGHSNOBIETY

If the silence that has followed the accusations pitted against Alexander Wang paired with the designer's subsequent statements has taught us anything, it's that most platforms and figures within the fashion industry are either still unwilling or too afraid to hold much-needed conversations about sexual abuse and gaslighting when people with clout are at the center of a scandal.

Wang has since refuted all allegations. But his response was a masterclass in what not to say when allegations of sexual assault are issued against you. Arguably, his statements are a case study in gaslighting, and what's more, the publications that published his words verbatim, without addressing the semantics, are part of the problem. read more »