Sexual Assaults Involve Medical Practice Too
If you are being examined by your doctor and something
doesn’t seem “right” it may not be. The arrest and conviction of Michigan State
University and USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar earlier
this year, reminded me why I started talking to young people in high school and
middle schools about being an involved and informed patient. In 2006 I was
talking to a group of high schoolers about patient safety and speaking to their
doctors when two sisters called their doctor “creepy.” That was a surprising
term and it set off my antenna. I invited a gynecologist and then a
pediatrician to talk to the children and their parents about appropriate exams.
Even as adults we rarely have any reason to speak about what our exams are like
and don’t know what similarities — or differences — are happening behind that
closed door.
Over the years women have
mentioned that they thought they might be getting what they felt were
inappropriate exams. Often unsure whether they were imagining it or what to do
about it, they never shared this secret until Pulse came along. I visited a police station and
asked what the procedure would be if a woman claims to be assaulted or
inappropriately touched by her doctor. The policeman behind the desk said that
if it were a licensed physician, the accuser would need to go to the state
department of health and licensing board to file a complaint.
Now fast forward ten years and
there is the #Metoo Movement, the Olympic gymnasts’ case, the sex abuse and
assaults by movie and television celebrities such as Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein. Politicians and high-ranking
officials are making the news and priests are being accused and convicted of
sex abuse from years ago to the present.
With all this happening around
us, why couldn’t clinicians — for whom we are expected to undress and expose
our bodies — also be part of this abuse and scandal? When we see a clinician,
we are already feeling vulnerable because we may be hurting or injured, not
feeling well, wanting to get better, and trusting that whatever is happening is
appropriate. Especially because we willingly removed our clothing and subjected
ourselves to an exam, how could a woman now “complain” about being touched
inappropriately?
I am no stranger to the
feeling of an “assault” by a doctor. I knew on two different occasions by two
different doctors that what they were doing was not appropriate. When I left
the exam room I knew I would never go back and that was the end of it. Or was
it?
I have been impacted by this
behavior and it helped me form my work today as a patient advocate. I
understand why people come forward many years later. Although I don’t
personally feel compelled to share the names of those who took advantage of me,
I understand the rights of others to do so.
Although I would not share
those doctors’ names, I would be devastated to see them put in a leadership
position anywhere. I am confident that there are more “victims” out there who
would rather just forget about their experiences as I did and as so many women
do. We need to talk about what an exam is like and what to expect. We need to
be unashamed to share an uncomfortable experience. We need to be able to
encourage and support filing a complaint and getting or sending someone for
support or counseling. Even if the people I have heard from don’t go back
in time and relive what happened many years ago, we can use this as a platform
to move forward and make it safer for other girls and women. By talking about
this and forming a coalition of groups in support of those who have been
assaulted by clinicians 30 or 40 years ago, we can make it safe for women today
to say, “It happened to me last week” . . . . because we believe you.
Learn more here: http://doctors.ajc.com/
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