Catholic Hospital Leader Accused Of Sexual Abuse
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BOSTON – The head of a Catholic-run hospital system faced new allegations of sexual harassment Monday, following complaints of unwanted hugging and kissing of female employees.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, head of the Boston Archdiocese, asked the governing board of Caritas Christi Health Care to meet again today to reconsider its response to the allegations against Dr. Robert Haddad, who had been reprimanded.
“New complaints of misconduct involving Dr. Robert Haddad have been received and are being investigated,” the archdiocese said in a statement.
Dr. Haddad, 52, who is of Lebanese descent, said Monday that a cultural misunderstanding was to blame.
“In my Lebanese culture, hugs and kisses among men and women are not only expected, but warmly given and received,” Dr. Haddad said.
He said he was “stunned to learn that some of my actions may have been misinterpreted; at no time was I aware of making anyone uncomfortable.”
Caritas’s executive vice president for human resources, Helen Drinan, said her office had received several new accusations Monday from female employees.
