Harvard University students publicly staged a walk-out of a class led by Dr. John Comaroff, who was accused of violently kissing and groping graduate students in a lawsuit by three graduate students.
Comaroff, an anthropology professor and an expert on South Africa, had been on administrative leave following a university inquiry into his behavior but returned to teach last fall when he was also threatened with a work stoppage.
The lawsuit, which was supported by the US Department of Justice on Title IX grounds, alleged that the respected institution ignored allegations of sexual harassment against a prominent associate professor – who in one incident forcefully kissed and groped one of the women and told her that she might be subject to “corrective rape” during her field research in Africa if she took her friend with her.
Comaroff was placed on unpaid leave in January 2022 after university investigators determined that he had engaged in verbal behavior that violated the school’s sexual, gender and professional conduct policies.
Harvard University students held a public walk-out of a class taught by Dr. John Comaroff (pictured right), who was accused of forcibly kissing and groping women in a court case by three graduate students
He has denied the allegations, with his lawyers telling at the time of the lawsuit that he “categorically denies ever having harassed or retaliated against any student”.
Several activist organizations across campus, as well as the student union feminist working group, organized the protest.
“John Comaroff has spent his career silencing and getting revenge on students — undermining Harvard’s value in providing an equitable, safe learning environment for all,” said Rosie Couture, a freshman in an explanation. “For the benefit of the university community and Harvard’s academic mission, it is high time Harvard acted.”
Plaintiffs Margaret Czerwienski, Lilia Kilburn and Amulya Mandava alleged that for years Comaroff “kissed and groped students without their consent, made unwanted sexual advances and threatened to sabotage students’ careers if they complained”.
The lawsuit accuses Comaroff of musing to Kilburn that she could face “corrective rape” or murder if she were seen in a same-sex relationship while working locally in Africa, a remark she made told the New York Times, with a ‘tone of delight.’
The lawsuit states Kilburn was “subjected to an ongoing nightmare that included more forced kissing, groping, persistent invitations to meet alone off campus, and coercive control.”
“Regarding Ms. Kilburn, Professor Comaroff never kissed her or touched her inappropriately,” the statement from the professor’s attorneys said.
Comaroff, an anthropology professor and expert on South Africa, had been on administrative leave following a university investigation into his behavior but returned to teach last fall when he was also threatened with a work stoppage
Plaintiffs Margaret Czerwienski (left), Lilia Kilburn (middle) and Amulya Mandava (right) alleged that for years Comaroff had “kissed and fondled students without their consent, made unwanted sexual advances and threatened to sabotage the students’ careers, if they complained .’
Several activist organizations across campus, as well as the student union feminist working group, organized the protest
On another occasion in 2017, when she met with Comaroff to discuss her plans to study in Cameroon, he repeatedly said she could face violence in Africa because she was in a same-sex relationship, the Legal action.
‘MS. Kilburn sat frozen in shock while Professor Comaroff continued for about five minutes,’ the suit said.
Kilburn tweeted in support of the strike, writing: “As someone who has witnessed Comaroff’s wrongdoing firsthand I am so grateful that others are spreading the word. This direct action is imperative given that Harvard only announced its sanctions against Comaroff two departments. but everyone needs information & security.’
Comaroff said in a statement from his attorneys that “this was a necessary conversation for her safety” and that “he was motivated solely by his concern for Ms Kilburn’s well-being and had no romantic or sexual intentions”.
The other two plaintiffs, Margaret Czerwienski and Amulya Mandava, said that when they reported Comaroff’s behavior to the university administration, he retaliated against them by threatening to derail their careers.
Comaroff denied ever threatening Czerwienski or Mandava, but “made consistent efforts to help these students and advance their careers”.
The lawsuit says the women first reached out to Harvard staffers about Comaroff nearly five years ago.
In a statement to , Comaroff’s lawyers vehemently denied the allegations, saying their client categorically denied ever having harassed or retaliated against a student.
“All three plaintiffs have repeatedly complained to the Harvard administrators,” the lawsuit said.
“But the university brushed them aside and chose to protect their star professor from vulnerable students,” she added.
The lawsuit alleges Harvard watched as he retaliated by ensuring the students “would have trouble getting jobs.”
Comaroff, who joined Harvard in 2012, was not named as a defendant. In June, Harvard Crimson filed a sexual misconduct lawsuit against him dating back to his time at the University of Chicago in the 1970s.
His attorneys – Norman Zalkind, Janet Halley and Ruth O’Meara-Costello – said in a joint statement that he “categorically denies ever having harassed or retaliated against any student”.
Harvard had no comment. In January, Comaroff was placed on spring semester leave and banned from teaching required courses after he was found to have engaged in verbal conduct that violated his sexual harassment and professional conduct policies.
The lawsuit alleges Harvard watched as he retaliated by ensuring the students “would have trouble getting jobs.”
In January, Comaroff was placed on spring semester leave and banned from teaching required courses after he was found to have engaged in verbal conduct that violated his sexual harassment and professional conduct policies
Those sanctions have divided the Harvard community, where nearly 40 faculty members signed an open letter questioning the investigation and calling him an “excellent colleague.”
All three plaintiffs said their academic trajectories and career prospects were “profoundly altered” and that Harvard violated Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments, which protects students from sex discrimination, and various Massachusetts statutes.
In September, in a rare instance in such a case, the Justice Department argued that Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments protects the ability of students to report sex discrimination without fear of reprisal.
“To do this, schools must protect students who participate in the Title IX process from retaliation and respond effectively to known retaliation by their staff,” the department said.
“Harvard’s continued failure to respond to repeated reports of harassment against Professor Comaroff — until he is goaded to do so by the media — demonstrates an institutional policy of indifference: a system designed to protect the university, its reputation, and the faculty that maintains that reputation at the expense of its students,” the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit calls for a jury trial, unspecified damages and a finding that Harvard violated women’s rights.