27 Women Allege Sexual Misconduct Against USC Gyno in Class-Action Lawsuit

On Wednesday, an amended complaint was filed against George Tyndall, the USC student health center’s primary gynecologist who sexually violated and harassed women for years with no consequence. The suit now totals the experience of 27 women, each with their own story of sexual misconduct and abuse at his hands.

In May, six women joined University of Southern California graduate Lucy Chi’s class-action lawsuit against George Tyndall, and the new accusations mirror the previous stories of abuse: Tyndall targeting Asian women, making inappropriate comments and asking unacceptable questions about patients’ sexual history, photographing students’ genitals, and performing unnecessary digital penetration.

Of the new accusations, all but two victims elected to remain anonymous. One of these women, Meggie Kwait, saw Tyndall in 2008 due to some unusual bleeding. While in the exam room, Tyndall asked inappropriate questions about her sexual history, fixating on her relationships with both men and women. He called her “a virgin,” telling her “let’s be honest: no penis, no sex.” He penetrated Kwait with his fingers and said, “I bet you’re pretty used to this,” urging her to lose weight in order to “get a guy instead of a girlfriend.” She filed a comment card detailing her demeaning visit with Tyndall, but USC never took action or responded to the note.

Vanessa Carlisle saw Tyndall three times over the course of her undergraduate career at USC, from 2011 through 2015. Tyndall made inappropriate comments to her on each occasion, including referring to her as a “lesbian,” even though she informed him of her bisexuality. He asked invasive questions about her sex life, inquiring whether she was engaging in “rough sex,” after she expressed concern over unusual spotting and told her she had the cervix of a “16-year-old girl,” making her “destined to bleed.” He examined her breasts without gloves and performed an unnecessary anal pap smear. The suit reads:

Ms. Carlisle constantly felt uncomfortable, angry, and demeaned during her appointments with Dr. Tyndall. She felt as though she was there for his entertainment and exploitation. However, she did not feel that USC provided her with any other options for women’s health care. Therefore, she continued to be subjected to Dr. Tyndall’s unprofessional and violating actions every year until she graduated. She felt trapped.

Dr. Tyndall’s conduct made Ms. Carlisle feel violated, exploited, and emotionally distressed. Media reports about Dr. Tyndall have made her feel outraged at USC for allowing his behavior to continue throughout the years, and they have caused the traumatic memories of his examinations to resurface, which has in turn caused Ms. Carlisle emotional distress.

Earlier this week, the Department of Education launched an investigation into the University of Southern California’s handling of the allegations made against Tyndall—and the Los Angeles Police Department is currently investigating 52 complaints against the disgraced gynecologist.