Alex Cooper Reveals Why It Took Her 10 Years to Come Forward with Sexual Harassment Allegations
The Unwell media network founder continued to discuss her allegations in a new episode of Call Her Daddy, in which she claims she met women who went through the same thing at Boston University
Cooper said these similar stories made her realize "without a doubt" that she had to tell her story in the docuseries, though it took her a decade to publicly speak about her claimsAlex Cooper is continuing to open up about her claims that she was sexually harassed by one of her college soccer coaches.
The Unwell media network founder first came forward with the allegations in her new Hulu docuseries, Call Her Alex. In the two-part Hulu special — which premiered at Tribeca Festival on June 8 — Cooper, 30, claimed she was sexually harassed by coach Nancy Feldman while attending Boston University.
In the docuseries, Cooper said she noticed Feldman "really starting to fixate on me, way more than any other teammate of mine, and it was confusing," during her sophomore year of college.
"[It] was all based in her wanting to know who I was dating, her making comments about my body and her always wanting to be alone with me," Cooper claimed in the doc.
Feldman, Boston University and the school's athletic department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Tuesday, June 10.
In her most recent installment of Call Her Daddy, the podcast host continued to discuss the allegations, explaining why it took her "a decade to tell this story" and why she decided to include it in her docuseries.
Cooper admitted that she was "afraid of retaliation" before coming forward. "I also worried people would downplay or dismiss the severity of what I experienced because the abuse wasn't physical," she added. "And with a podcast that focuses on empowering women, I felt shame that my abuser happened to be a woman."
In the 8-minute episode — which dropped on Tuesday, June 10 — Cooper continued, "I was worried that sharing my story could quite literally undermine everything I stand for."
She also recalled how she hesitated to discuss her traumatic experiences while filming in Boston during a stop on her live podcast tour. It was the Call Her Alex director, Ry Russo-Young, who urged her to explore the possibility.
"I had told the director that I wasn't sure I wanted to get into what happened to me in college in this documentary. I figured, let's keep it light. Let's keep it fun. Let's just approach it with a more positive energy," said the media mogul. "She was obviously extremely supportive and understanding."
Cooper continued to share how Russo-Young encouraged her to return to the university to see what type of emotions it inspired.
"The minute I stepped on that field, I felt so small. Money, power, status, followers, years of therapy, none of it mattered. I felt like I was 18 years old again, completely powerless with no voice," Cooper said during this week's Call Her Daddy. "I didn't realize how much I had suppressed and how much I was still carrying with me."
Toward the end of filming the docuseries, Cooper said "new information came to light" that compelled her to come forward: "I immediately knew without a doubt that it was time for me to speak up," she explained.
"I found out that other women had stepped onto that same field and experienced the same harassment I did. I discovered that the abuse and trauma I had been subjected to at Boston University was still actively happening on that campus in 2025, a decade after I left," Cooper alleged. "I spoke directly with one of the victims. Everything changed for me that day. And it really put in perspective that the harassment and abuse of power was and is so much bigger than me."
She grappled with the "systemic" aspect of the issue and ultimately realized she needed to step up as an example for others. By opening up about the allegations in Call Her Alex, Cooper is both sharing her own story and speaking to "what women continue to endure everywhere, every single day," she said on her hit podcast.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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