Tiffany Reese

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.

Miranda was a first-year student when she met Cato Buss, a tenured professor who later became head of the theater department and who initially offered her scholarship support.

Over time, Miranda says the relationship became less consensual, shaped by a growing imbalance of power.

As allegations surfaced and Miranda learned of Morgan's Title IX investigation, she began to better understand her own experience.

With the support of her friends, Miranda eventually entered into her own Title IX process, one she says left her demanding more justice.

Together, their stories reveal how abuse of power persists in hierarchical campus spaces and how institutional betrayals can compound harm.

What's often lost in institutional responses is the human cost.

In their wake, perpetrators often leave a profoundly devastating impact on their victims.

Survivors face not only trauma, but lasting academic consequences like missed opportunities, derailed careers, and the fear of retaliation within their own institutions.

The harm can ripple outward, undermining a student's sense of safety, self-worth, and confidence in systems meant to protect and educate them.

This gap between policy and practice is what many survivors describe as institutional betrayal, when the systems that were meant to protect them instead deepen the harm.

By understanding the dynamics, recognizing the data, and supporting survivors, we can push towards campuses where safety and respect are non-negotiable.

I'm Tiffany Reese, and this is Something Was Wrong.

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