Menekshe Law Firm Files Lawsuit Against Interchange Counseling Institute And Steve Bearman For Sexual Assault And Harassment
Lawsuit cites sexual assaults of students and facilitators, sexual harassment, violation of labor laws, negligence, fraud, breach of contract and misrepresentation
CAMPBELL, Calif., Jan. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of eighteen former students and workers at a counseling skills program run by Steve Bearman and Margo Brockman has filed a lawsuit against Interchange Counseling Institute, based in San Francisco, arising out of multiple instances of sexual misconduct. The lawsuit, filed Friday in the Alameda County Superior Court, alleges sexual assault, gender violence and false imprisonment of six students and facilitators, and improper sexual touching of another student facilitator. In addition, the lawsuit cites civil rights violations under California Civil Code Section 52.1, sexual harassment by Bearman and others under his control, hostile work environment, labor law violations, negligence, professional malpractice and fraud and misrepresentation as to the value of the services provided by the school. Prior to being closed as a result of these allegations becoming public, Interchange Counseling Institute and Steve Bearman had an excellent reputation among many Bay Area counseling professionals and in the personal growth community at large.
Bearman was described by several of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit as a master manipulator who abused the student/teacher or counselor/client power dynamic. He learned intimate details about them through counseling sessions and gained personal information about them through their assignments, and then used that information to target his victims, all of whom had suffered previous sexual trauma. Five of the women allege that he assaulted them after he convinced them to take psychedelic drugs which led them to be incapacitated, at times in doses more than double the dose in typical recreational use.
Bearman held himself out as an expert in the field of personal growth and co-counseling, and was frequently enlisted to give talks on informed consent. He has an extensive online presence.
Also according to the lawsuit, Interchange Counseling Institute, co-owned by Margo Brockman, fraudulently promoted itself as providing valuable counseling or life-coaching skills leading to a certificate, which could be used to promote the participants' professional reputations. The labor violations include improperly classifying employees as independent contractors and wrongful constructive termination.
"In the present cultural environment, a group of brave people have stepped forward to call out a deliberate pattern of sexual assault and harassment. This lawsuit presents a unique and important opportunity for our justice system to address widespread sexual harassment and discrimination in the context of counseling and teaching. I look forward to presenting our case in Court, explaining it to the jury and obtaining an appropriate remedy, not only for the harmful actions of Steve Bearman, but also for the wrongful way Interchange Counseling Institute has operated its business. Our clients have been egregiously harmed and we look forward to obtaining justice for them," said Ayhan M. Menekshe, of Menekshe Law Firm in Campbell, California, who, along with Catherine M. Adams of the firm, will be trial counsel for the plaintiffs.
The lawsuit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, can be viewed with the embedded PDF .
SOURCE Menekshe Law Firm
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