Health “professional”??

In 2018 I was referred to a private gynaecologist who did not wear gloves during his procedures. He never even offered a cover sheet at the beginning of the session, making me feel uncomfortable from the start. He also knew I was taking anti depressant for recent work trauma.

He did a number of procedures without explaining why (without gloves), including penetration with his fingers. Unfortunately I froze and wasn’t able to say anything to him at the time. When I got home I spoke with my husband and realised fully what had happened. I burst into tears and called my mum who then told me to call a health institute to ask about his actions. Somehow I ended up speaking to a nurse at the local hospital who ended up calling the police. She also suggested I go to another doctor to write out a statement, which I immediately did (with a new female doctor). The police arrived in the middle of the night, waking me up, and ended up stating that it was the gynaecologists word against mine, and to contact APHRA. 

I wrote down in detail to APHRA what had happened, and some weeks later was notified that the gynaecologist had said he did wear gloves. Bloody liar! They unfortunately chose to believe his side of the story. I was so angry that he could just get away with what he did, and so contacted he police again and decided to press charges. The police later stated to me that they wouldn’t go ahead and investigate anything because APHRA already had. I let the police and APHRA know how disgusted I was by their system, and even said I was happy to do a polygraph test, which they didn’t do anything about.

On another note, I went back to my male doctor who had referred me to the gynaecologist, although fearful, I told him what had happened. I was emotional at the time, and unfortunately my doctor took that as a sign to up my dosage of anti-depressants, which I took for about one day and then weaned myself off completely from all of that sort of medication. The doctor literally said to me “Oh he’s a lovely guy, he’s probably just being silly.” 

I still feel I have not finished with this whole fight against injustice. Although i now feel it should be mandatory for a patient to be offered an option for a female chauffeur (from the practice) during every gynaecological visit, and that medical boards and police should allow options for polygraph proof testing, I decided my journey regarding this chapter is still not over. 

I will continue to try and gain some justice over the matter, and will contact the human rights commission. If nothing is done I will write a google review of the practice, stating what happened, and also requesting for any other people to contact me if this gynaecologist has done the same thing to them. I refuse to let this man in power get away with taking advantage of me at a time where I was most vulnerable.