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Sexual Exploitation of Patients by Health Professionals

NCJ Number
111794
Editor(s)
A W Burgess, C R Hartman
Date Published
1986
Length
193 pages
Annotation
This book presents information, provided by patients and professionals, about the sexual exploitation of patients, case material of strategies used by sexual offenders within their professions, the treatment of sexually abused patients, and professional and legal responses to the problem.
Abstract
An introductory overview of patient sexual exploitation by health practitioners examines the extent of the problem, the determination of standards in the professional setting, and the formal mechanisms for case resolution. Individual and institutional guidelines for addressing and preventing patient sexual exploitation are proposed. In the book's second section, two patients describe their sexual exploitation by male physicians: the sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old girl by a pediatrician neighbor and the sexual abuse of a woman by her cardiologist. Part 3 of the book examines patient sexual abuse from the perspectives of the therapists, the counselor, the lawyer, and the medical board prosecutor, and Part 4 reveals how various facets of the social structure -- law enforcement, professional associations and regulatory boards, and print media -- react to patient sexual abuse. The book's concluding section examines victims' treatment needs and suggests therapeutic approaches to help victims overcome the effects of sexual abuse. Chapter notes and references and subject index.