(WXYZ) — Dr. Zvi Levran was arraigned last week in Oakland County Court and pled not guilty to 17 charges of criminal sexual conduct. The doctor has spent the last 2 decades working with young athletes in Minnesota and metro Detroit.
He’s accused of assaulting young male hockey players during medical exams inside his home office.
"The defendant violated his trust as a physician and assistant hockey coach to sexually assault young players in various high school and junior hockey leagues throughout the area,” said Magistrate Michael Sawicky during Levran's arraignment on Nov. 11.
Levran is the latest doctor in Michigan accused of sexually assaulting those he was entrusted to care for. It’s an issue advocates have worked nonstop to bring to an end.
“It's so disheartening to hear this is still happening in our communities and in Michigan,” said Grace French, Founder, and President of The Army of Survivors, a Michigan-based non-profit organization.
French started the organization shortly after coming forward about her own abuse at the hands of Dr. Larry Nassar.
“It makes my heart heavy to know there are abusers who are continuing to abuse," French said. "It makes me very very sad.”
French has been advocating for change ever since. She’s helped change laws, even appearing in front of the United Nations.
“When we started there wasn't any awareness that this was a pervasive issue throughout all of sports," French said. "I think people thought it was just within gymnastics.”
The US Center for SafeSport, which was created shortly after Dr. Nassar’s crimes came to light, has received more than 10,000 reports of misconduct since 2017. It keeps a database of individuals suspended or sanctioned. Currently, that database has more than 1,600 names. Those include Dr. Nassar, Dr. Levran, and 50 others in the State of Michigan.
“This is a problem that’s been hidden for a long long time and we make it very difficult for the victims to come forward,” said Farmington Hills-based attorney Bill Seikaly.
Seikaly says he has represented roughly 75 victims of sexual abuse and harassment in his career. He says in nearly every case, someone else saw or knew something but didn’t report it.
“If in your gut you believe something is wrong but your head is telling you no, believe your gut and follow that instinct,” Seikaly said.
That’s why part of the Army of Survivors' mission is education. This week they released this interactive power and control wheel to help people identify signs of abuse in sports.
“Our main goal is to make sure people have awareness that this issue is pervasive within sport, the culture of sport allows this to happen, and then also to educate people on what that looks like so it can be stopped before it starts,” French said.
When it comes to physical exams by doctors or trainers, French said doctors should explain what they’re doing while doing it, and all one on one interaction should be observable and interruptible.
“If you have a kid and you want to be in the room for that exam and the doctor says no, go to a different doctor,” Seikaly said.
“For minors, adults can be in the room, I recommend adults be in the room," French said. "That being said, my abuse happened when my Mom was in the room.”
French encourages athletes, coaches, and parents all to keep their eyes open and to know the signs, so they can interrupt abuse before it begins.
“There are so many people who are in these environments that it’s important that every person takes it upon themselves to educate themselves on the signs so they can do something about it,” French said.
You can contact the National sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
If you have any information on Dr. Levran, contact the Farmington Hills Police tip line at 248-871-2610.
