Tiffany Reese

Something Was Wrong is intended for mature audiences and discusses topics that may be upsetting.

Please consume the following episodes with care.

This season discusses sexual, physical and psychological violence.

For a full content warning, sources and resources for each episode, please visit the episode notes.

Opinions shared by guests of the show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Broken Cycle Media.

The podcast and any linked materials should not be misconstrued as a substitution for legal or medical advice.

We reached out to Professor Cato Buss and the University of Central Oklahoma for comment in response to allegations in the weeks prior to this episode's release.

We have not received a response.

Thank you so much for listening.

sexual harassment and assault on campus isn't just peer-to-peer.

A large institutional survey across eight collegiate campuses found that among undergraduates who reported sexual harassment, 12.5% of freshmen and nearly 25% of seniors reported experiencing sexual harassment by faculty or staff.

In these incidents, about 61% of reported faculty and staff harassment perpetrators were faculty members, with most identified as male.

At the heart of professor-student abuse is a power imbalance.

Professors control grades, recommendations, educational opportunities, scholarships, and in some cases, even future career opportunities.

This imbalance can easily be exploited when harm continuously goes unchecked.

Abuse between educator and student can take many forms and can include but are not limited to unwanted sexual advances or propositions, requests for sexual favors tied to academic benefit, sexual harassment during office hours,

and or grooming behaviors that build trust before exploitation.

Because of the authority the professor holds, students may fear retaliation, damage to their academic standing, or disbelief if they speak up.

And even when students do report, disciplinary action is taken in a minority of reported cases, an outcome many survivors describe as deeply re-traumatizing.

In Chapter 2 of this season, you'll hear from survivors Miranda, Olivia, Rihanna, and Morgan, who crossed paths while studying theater at the University of Central Oklahoma.