3 research outputs found
Sexual violence perpetrated by health professionals
Sexual violence (SV) perpetrated by health professionals concerns any sexual conduct, whether physical or verbal (with or without contact), toward a patient. There has been little scientific study and some disagreements have emerged regarding its definition, which has even been confused with violation of professional boundaries. In this descriptive-exploratory study, we aimed to characterize this phenomenon in the Portuguese context, using a sample of 491 participants who completed an online questionnaire adapted for this study. The results showed that 8.96% of the participants (5.5% indirect victims) suffered SV by a health professional, and the sociodemographic characteristics are very similar to those of SV in other contexts. Thus, after confirming this is not a problem alien to the Portuguese reality, we discuss the practical implications for prevention and intervention with victims
Recommended from our members
The Relationship Between Professional Sexual Boundary Violation And Sex Addiction: An Exploratory Study Of Post-treatment And Retrospective Pre-treatment Dispositions
In this exploratory study, 35 male professionals who had successfully completed residential sex addiction treatment were surveyed. Respondentsâ median age was 47.5, and reported ethnicities were White (89%), Asian, (9%) and Hispanic (2%). Prior to intake, 17 respondents had reportedly violated sexual boundaries with patients, clients, or staff (BV group) and 18 reportedly had not (NBV group). Respondents completed a demographic information form and two validated instruments: (a) Sexual Symptom Assessment Scale (S-SAS), measuring symptom severity of Compulsive Sexual Behavior (CSB); and (b) Boundary Violation Index (BVI), assessing frequency of risk factors for Sexual Boundary Violation (SBV). Respondents reported a very large decrease in CSB symptom severity over time (partial 2 = .856), change that was statistically equal for respondents in the BV and NBV groups. Furthermore, respondents reported a large decrease in SBV risk over time (partial 2 = .620); however, the BV group reported a greater decrease in SBV risk than the NBV group (partial 2 = .221). Reductions in both CSB symptoms and SBV risk were stable over time, up to five years post discharge. CSB symptoms and SBV risk were not correlated at retrospective pre-treatment, but for practical purposes, were moderately correlated at post treatment (r = 0.386, n = 25, p = 0.057). Although not significant, correlation at pre-treatment was more than twice as strong for the BV group than for the NBV group. Days of Treatment was a meaningful, although non-significant, contributor to decreases in CSB symptom severity (? = -.323). Similarly, Days of Treatment (? = -.785), Counseling (? = -.303), Recovery Support (? = -.292), and Continuing Education (? = -.259) were meaningful, although non-significant, contributors to decrease in SBV risk. At study participation, 77.1% of respondents had reportedly retained their professional licenses, although 15.4% reported having received a new licensing board complaint. Clinical and professional implications, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed