A prominent professor in Harvard’s international relations department has been placed on leave after decades of sexual harassment allegations were unveiled.
Jorge Dominguez cultivated the reputation of a ‘creepy older man’ for himself during his time working as a government professor at Harvard. The 72-year old is married and has two daughters.
In 1983 he was found guilty of ‘serious misconduct’ by the ivy-league university after Terry Karl, a junior professor in the department, alleged he repeatedly groped, kissed and propositioned her.
Now, in light of the #metoo movement, Dr Karl recalled the harassment she suffered to The Chronicle of Higher Education.
After her story was published last month, 17 additional women have come forward with similar stories about Domingez – claiming he touched them inappropriately and that they even dropped classes and abandoned projects to avoid being around him.
The alleged harassment began in 1981 when she arrived at the university and was paired with Dominguez, who initially was ‘friendly and available’.
But after her first semester things changed, and over the summer she said he wrapped her in his arms and attempted to kiss her. Karl said she pulled away but didn’t make a scene, to avoid offending him.
That fall, at a dinner hosted by Harvard, Karl said Dominguez made a comment about her to then-president of Venezuela Rafael Caldera, referring to her as his ‘slave.’ She said Caldera later warned her to stay away from Dominguez.
Karl gave Dominguez a ride home that night at his request, and while in the car says he attempted to kiss her and slid his hand up her skirt. She says he told her he would be the next department chairman, he would decide her promotion and he would review her book.
That was the first time she said she felt she was being propositioned for sexual favors in return for a good review. But after, it continued to happen, and eventually she felt like she was actually in danger when he was around him.
Once, she alleges he made a comment while they were walking outside that ‘this would be a nice place for a rape.’
Eventually she sought advice from Harvard and then hired a lawyer, going to the EEOC about Dominguez’s alleged behavior. She also wrote to the dean, Rosovsky, and described his behavior as ‘erratic’ and ‘an expression of deep hostility.’
Dominguez did not comment on Karl’s allegations, but also did not deny any of the women’s claims. He told the Chronicle he ‘has sought to behave honorably in all my relationships.’
‘I try to communicate both respectfully and effectively,’ he told the paper.
‘I do not go around making sexual advances. Any behavior like that I would regret it under any circumstances. There may have been a terrible misinterpretation of whatever I might have been doing.
‘I can’t imagine trying to hurt or injure someone I might have been helping.’
Harvard provost Alan M Garber directly addressed the allegations made in Chronicle article in an email to students and staff members on Friday.