An open letter sent to The Daily, signed by individuals who have been affected by John Scamehorn, an OU emeritus professor accused of sexual harassment, addresses allegations against Scamehorn and a lack of action from the University.
Thirty individuals who are victims of Scamehorn wrote a letter regarding his actions and their belief that OU and the school of drama neglected to address complaints about him. The letter declares that victims will no longer be silent and informs those who have not come forward that they will be supported.
The letter said the following:
“To Whom It May Concern:
We are writing in response to the accusations and allegations against John Scamehorn that have recently come to light. To one degree or another each of us have been exposed to and scared by the environment of perversion he created under the guise of educator and film producer.
Although these troubling facts are just now being revealed to the public, the fact is, Mr. Scamehorn has been preying on young women with impunity for years. We feel an obligation to tell our stories, not only to add context and legitimacy to the stories that have arisen in recent days, but also as support to those who have been hesitant, embarrassed and ashamed to come forward with their own stories. This letter is not easy to write, but we believe it is necessary to advocate a change in our artistic community.
Make no mistake; Mr. Scamehorn is a predator and the list of inappropriate, egregious, and possibly illegal activities of which he indulged is extensive. Among other things he exploited the aspirations of young actresses to feed on his twisted and perverse desires. We know this to be true because we are among his victims. Among other things, we have been subjected to sexual advances, strong and inappropriate innuendo, regaled with stories rife with sexual content, stalked and even coerced into taking embarrassing and compromising photos.
Young students entering a college environment believe their professors and other university personnel are there for the sole purpose of educating and nurturing students. Imagine our dismay and disgust when we discovered this not to be the case. In fact, we have reason to believe the University, OU’s Title IX office, and school of Drama administration share a degree of culpability in the case by ignoring legitimate complaints brought to the attention of those with the authority to take appropriate action. Mr. Scamehorn has donated considerable sums of money to the University, and in turn was provided nearly unfettered access to a “target rich” environment for deviants.
Some of us were never students at OU or OU’s Weitzenhoffer College of Fine Arts, but Mr. Scamehorn’s reprehensible activities were not confined to the university campus. Mr. Scamehorn’s influence and deviancy also spread to the Sooner Theatre of Norman, as well as OKC Film and Theatre communities. It was common knowledge within the local theatre/film community that he was a predator and to avoided when possible. However, he positioned himself as a major benefactor to local theatre organizations and local filmmakers to buy access to actresses of various ages.
We will all bear emotional scars from our experiences. We feel shame, disgust, and embarrassment for being victimized and to not have spoken out before now. We were coerced and intimidated into silence, but we are done with the silence. It is time for Mr. Scamehorn and the individuals in positions of authority who perpetuated this behavior to be held accountable.
We hope this letter will serve to not only underscore the legitimacy of complaints that have already surfaced, but to support and offer encouragement to others who have been victimized. Please note that if you come forward, you have a group of individuals who will champion you.”
John Scamehorn released a statement June 5 to KFOR saying that he is aware of and denies the allegations brought against him.
