Doctor Sexual Abuse

What is Sexual Abuse by a Doctor or Medical Professional?

Sexual abuse by a medical professional is any sexual contact, comment, or conduct by a healthcare provider that is not part of legitimate medical care and that occurs without the patient’s informed, voluntary consent.

When you go to a doctor, hospital, clinic, therapist, or medical provider, you place trust in the people responsible for your care. Patients are often vulnerable, partially undressed, sedated, in pain, or relying entirely on the provider’s expertise.

Some medical professionals exploit that trust.

If a healthcare provider crossed sexual boundaries with you during a medical treatment or examination, what happened may have been sexual abuse.

Forms of Sexual Abuse in a Medical Setting

Sexual abuse by a healthcare provider can look many different ways.

This may include:

Inappropriate touching during an exam – touching breasts, genitals, or other intimate areas in a way that is unnecessary, ungloved, prolonged, or that has nothing to do with the medical reason for the visit.
Unnecessary or invasive exams – performing pelvic, breast, rectal, or genital exams that were not medically relevant, or done without consent.
Abuse under sedation or anesthesia – assaulting patients who are unconscious, medicated, or unable to resist.
Voyeurism and secret recordings – watching, photographing, or recording patients while undressed, including hidden cameras in the exam rooms, bathrooms, or changing areas.
Sexual assault or rape – any forced sexual act, including under the guise of treatment.
Abuse of child patients – sexual misconduct involving minors during medical treatment.

Help Us Stop Sexual Abuse

Have you or a loved a survivor of sexual abuse including doctor or medical professional sexual abuse?

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Washington Law Center to better understand your rights or to seek our assistance with your case.

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If something happened to you that was not listed, that does not mean it was not abuse. These are examples, not limits.

Many survivors later question whether what happened was “really abuse” because it occurred in a medical setting. That confusion is common. Often survivors do not initially search for terms like “sexual abuse” or “sexual assault”.

Instead they’ll search:

“Was this exam normal?”

“Did my doctor cross the line?”

Was that medically necessary?”

“Why did my doctor touch me there?”

“Was my doctor being inappropriate?”

These questions show how effectively the medical setting can silence survivors. If you are asking those questions, trust your instinct enough to explore them. Not every uncomfortable medical experience is abuse, but if it felt sexual, medically unnecessary, manipulative, or violating, it is important to take those concerns seriously.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Doctor Sexual Abuse?

In many cases, responsibility extends beyond the individual abuser. Potentially responsible parties may include:

The individual provider who committed the abuse
Hospitals that employed, credentialed, or supervised the abuser
Clinics, medical groups, and private practices that failed to supervise or respond to complaints
Universities and academic medical centers with student health, athletic, or teaching hospital programs
Dental practices
Chiropractic offices and rehabilitation facilities
Nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, and home health agencies
Surgery centers, urgent care chains, and specialty practices
Mental health facilities and treatment programs

If the abuse occurred in a healthcare setting, there was likely a failure in oversight by the institution behind the provider. Our attorneys investigate every potential source of liability, and we are prepared to hold them accountable.

Hiring The Right Team

Washington Law Center has recovered millions of dollars for survivors of sexual abuse by medical professionals. Most of our settlements in this area are confidential, which is why you won’t see them on a billboard, but our experience is real, and so are the results.

What sets us apart is how deeply we care about our clients. When you speak with one of our attorneys, you will have a judgement-free, open dialogue where you can ask any questions you have. You decide how much you share, when, and how. You will be heard.

The initial consultation is free, and there is no fee until we win.

Common Questions

Doctor Sexual Abuse FAQs

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What are signs that a doctor crossed the line?

Common red flags include: exams that felt unusually intimate, unrelated to your visit, ungloved contact with sensitive areas, refusal to allow a chaperone in the room, recording or photographing you, and any contact while you were sedated, or otherwise unable to consent.

What if a healthcare provider secretly recorded me?

Voyeurism in a medical setting may include hidden cameras in exam rooms, bathrooms, changing areas, or providers secretly recording patients on their phone or other devices. This is both a crime and grounds for a civil lawsuit. You may have claims against the individual provider and the facility that allowed it.

How long do sexual abuse lawsuits take?

Timelines vary by court and complexity but early resolution is sometimes possible.

What does an initial meeting with a sexual abuse attorney look like?

At Washington Law Center, your consultation will be handled in the way that makes you feel most comfortable. You can take time to write out your story, meet with us in person, connect virtually, or speak from the comfort of your home. Our priority is creating a safe space where you can share your story in the way that works best for you.

Video Transcript: What To Expect During Your Initial Meeting with a Sexual Abuse Attorney?

ATTORNEY ASHTON DENNIS: At Washington Law Center, a consultation is going to be done in a way that makes you most comfortable.

Very often, clients have been holding onto these stories, their story for a very long time and need time to write it out. And we give you the space to do that.

Or if it’s in person and you want to meet with me and the team and talk through it, or if it’s via Zoom or other virtual program.

Or in the comfort of your home if that’s where you feel safe and that’s where you want to share your story, we’ll come to you and we’ll meet with you and we’ll talk through that with you.

And if that means that you need to have someone with you when sharing that story, we’d be happy to do that as well.

We will go out of our way to make sure it’s done in a way that makes you the most comfortable.

How much do I have to share in a consultation with an attorney?

In your first consultation with Washington Law Center, you do not have to share all the details of your story. We will listen, answer any questions and discuss based on whatever you choose to share. Our goal is to ensure you know it was not your fault, that help is available, and that you will have the space and time you need before deciding how much to share.

I want to file a claim, now what?

Deciding to come forward is a courageous step. Many survivors wait years before coming forward, and it is normal if you have never told anyone, if you are afraid, or if you do not remember every detail. The process starts by contacting us. We can talk by phone, meet in person, or connect virtually. Your first conversation with Washington Law Center is a safe space to share your story, ask questions, and learn about your legal options. We are here to listen and guide you through each step.

Washington Law Center is a resource for sexual abuse survivors

What if there was no criminal conviction against my abuser?

Civil cases have a different burden of proof and don’t need a criminal conviction in order to be successful. Institutional negligence can be proven through records, policies, and witness testimony.

What is the difference between criminal and civil cases?

We stand against victim blaming: Your story matters

Free Confidential Doctor Sexual Abuse Case Evaluation

No Fee Until You Win

At Washington Law Center, we have a “No-Fee Promise” with all of our foster care and sexual abuse cases. Our attorney fees are contingent, so you pay no fees until we win.

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