Sexual contact in the doctor-patient relationship in The Netherlands.

Wilbers, D; Veenstra, G; Wiel, van de Harry; Schultz, Willibrordus Weijmar

doi:10.1136/bmj.304.6841.1531

Cited by 41 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In overseas surveys, 3%–10% of doctors admit to a sexual relationship with a patient. 5 ‐ 7 In Australia, an anonymous mail survey of psychiatrists found that 7.6%, almost all male, reported erotic contact with patients during or after termination of treatment. 8 Based on NSW Health Care Complaints Commission information, about 4% of male psychiatrists in NSW have been reported for sexual abuse of patients.…”

Section: Is There a Problem?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Crossing professional boundaries in medicine: the slippery slope to patient sexual exploitation

Galletly

2004

Medical Journal of Australia

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While some cases of sexual exploitation involve predatory doctors, many other cases represent the culmination of a series of boundary crossings (non‐exploitative departures from usual practice). The deliberate move to reduce formality in medicine has increased the likelihood of boundary crossings and violations. There are also individual doctor risk factors; boundary violations appear more likely when doctors are under stress, with insufficient emotional support. Preventive strategies include continuing education about ethics and the management of professional boundaries, along with appropriate psychological support structures for doctors. Doctors are often involved in other professional relationships as teachers, supervisors and team leaders; inappropriate sexual behaviour in these relationships is harassment. Public pressure for more punitive responses is likely if the profession is not seen to be doing all it can to deal with these issues effectively, and to be cooperating with other responsible agencies.

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Section: Is There a Problem?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Crossing professional boundaries in medicine: the slippery slope to patient sexual exploitation

Galletly

2004

Medical Journal of Australia

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“…Overseas research on sexual misconduct in health care settings has focused on medical practitioners and psychologists, with few studies of other health care professions . Our study is the first to examine sexual misconduct notifications for a national cohort of all registered health practitioners.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual misconduct by health professionals in Australia, 2011–2016: a retrospective analysis of notifications to health regulators

Bismark

Studdert

Morton³

et al. 2020

Medical Journal of Australia

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Objectives To assess the numbers of notifications to health regulators alleging sexual misconduct by registered health practitioners in Australia, by health care profession. Design, setting Retrospective cohort study; analysis of Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and NSW Health Professional Councils Authority data on notifications of sexual misconduct during 2011–2016. Participants All registered practitioners in 15 health professions. Main outcome measures Notification rates (per 10 000 practitioner‐years) and adjusted rate ratios (aRRs) by age, sex, profession, medical specialty, and practice location. Results Regulators received 1507 sexual misconduct notifications for 1167 of 724 649 registered health practitioners (0.2%), including 208 practitioners (18%) who were the subjects of more than one report during 2011–2016; 381 notifications (25%) alleged sexual relationships, 1126 (75%) sexual harassment or assault. Notifications regarding sexual relationships were more frequent for psychiatrists (15.2 notifications per 10 000 practitioner‐years), psychologists (5.0 per 10 000 practitioner‐years), and general practitioners (6.4 per 10 000 practitioner‐years); the rate was higher for regional/rural than metropolitan practitioners (aRR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.31–2.30). Notifications of sexual harassment or assault more frequently named male than female practitioners (aRR, 37.1; 95% CI, 26.7–51.5). A larger proportion of notifications of sexual misconduct than of other forms of misconduct led to regulatory sanctions (242 of 709 closed cases [34%] v 5727 of 23 855 [24%]). Conclusions While notifications alleging sexual misconduct by health practitioners are rare, such misconduct has serious consequences for patients, practitioners, and the community. Further efforts are needed to prevent sexual misconduct in health care and to ensure thorough investigation of alleged misconduct.

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“…Although mental health professionals have experienced negative attitudes or feelings in relation to their sexual attractions (Rodolfa et al, 1994; Wilbers et al, 1992), the SPCs reported low levels of emotional intensity with respect to their attractions regardless of their gender or degree area. The SPCs viewed their sexual attraction as neither harmful nor beneficial and thought that their client-athletes were unaware of their feelings, suggesting a potential naiveté regarding how attuned their client-athletes likely are to SPCs’ attractions and behaviors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex and sport: Attractions and boundary crossings between sport psychology consultants and their client-athletes.

Moles

Petrie

Watkins³

2016

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice

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Sexual attractions as well as sexual and nonsexual boundary crossings (SBCs & NSBCs, respectively) have been examined within counseling and clinical psychology (Pope, 1988), though little research has addressed these issues within sport psychology. Thus, we examined the incidence of sexual attraction and the SBCs and NSBCs of male (n ϭ 170) and female (n ϭ 105) sport psychology consultants (SPCs) with their client-athletes. The SPCs had earned their degrees in exercise or sport science (n ϭ 201) or psychology (n ϭ 65); 9 did not provide their degree area. Of the 112 SPCs who reported being sexually attracted to least 1 of their client-athletes, 13.6% SPCs crossed sexual boundaries, primarily by discussing sexual matters unrelated to their work; no SPC reported kissing, dating, or having sexual intercourse with a client-athlete. Regarding actual boundary crossings, the SPCs attended client-athletes' sporting events (89.4%), initiated nonsexual touching (58.1%), attended social gatherings (43.5%), traveled with clientathletes (34.9%), and remained at parties with client-athletes (31.9%). There was no gender (male vs. female) by degree area (psychology vs. exercise or sport science) differences in frequency of these behaviors. SPCs trained in psychology viewed the following behaviors as more professionally acceptable than did those trained in exercise or sport science: (a) travel with client, (b) disclose personal stressors, (c) become social friends, (d) exchange a gift, (e) send holiday greeting card, (f) client is employed where SPC works, (g) client stay at SPC's house, and (h) form a business relationship with client.

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Sexual contact in the doctor-patient relationship in The Netherlands.

Cited by 41 publications

References 12 publications

Crossing professional boundaries in medicine: the slippery slope to patient sexual exploitation

Crossing professional boundaries in medicine: the slippery slope to patient sexual exploitation

Sexual misconduct by health professionals in Australia, 2011–2016: a retrospective analysis of notifications to health regulators

Sex and sport: Attractions and boundary crossings between sport psychology consultants and their client-athletes.

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