- An alarming number of psychologists are
having sex with their patients and getting away with it, says a leading
medical expert on sexual dysfunction.
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- An estimated 10%-15% of therapists sexually
abuse patients, said Dr. John Wincze, a medical professor at Brown University
in Rhode Island.
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- The vast majority of offenders are men
and their victims are usually women diagnosed with depression, bipolar
disorder and drug addiction.
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- "It's very common, yet these complaints
hardly ever get to the licensing board," he said.
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- "It's certainly a dark shadow on
the profession to have that type of misconduct."
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- Wincze presented findings from his Australian
and U.S. studies to the Ontario Psychological Association yesterday.
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- He said the situation in Canada is much
the same.
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- There have been 14 cases of sexual misconduct
reported to the College of Psychologists of Ontario since 1994.
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- College chairman Rick Morris said sex
abuse in Ontario is under-reported. "There's a whole group of people
out there who've been abused but have never come forward."
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- The most common forms of abuse are vaginal
intercourse, oral sex, fondling, erotic hugging and suggestive behaviour.
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- The abusers tend to be multiple offenders
with anti-social personality traits, Wincze said.
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- "They justify it by saying it is
a relationship with two consenting adults."
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