Evelyn Yang tells CNN the assault happened in 2012 and she was initially afraid to tell anyone. She and 31 other women are now suing Dr. Robert Hadden of the Columbia University Medical Center and the hospital system, saying they conspired and enabled the crimes.
According to CNN, Evelyn Yang said she kept the sexual assault so secret she didn’t even share her story with most of her family, including her parents. She says she was encouraged to speak out after seeing the positive reception she and her husband had been getting on the campaign trail by being open about their son's autism.
"Everyone has their own MeToo story. It's far too prevalent," Evelyn Yang said. "But not everyone can tell their story. Not everyone has the audience or platform to tell their story, and I actually feel like I'm in this very privileged position to be able to do that."
Andrew Yang says he's proud of his wife for speaking out. In a Tweet early Friday morning after the CNN article came out, Yang said “I love my wife very much.”
The doctor's lawyer has denied the allegations and declined to comment. The Manhattan DA's office has an open case against Hadden.
Yang, along with 18 other female patients who came forward, worked with Laura Millendorf, assistant DA. CNN says Yang testified before a grand jury, and Hadden was indicted on multiple felony sex charges.
The DA's office and Hadden agreed to a plea deal in 2016. "As part of the deal, Hadden would lose his medical license and register as the lowest-level sex offender, but he would not go to jail," the CNN report says.
