I am the psychiatric patient and the psychiatric patient is me: Retelling a lived experience narrative of professional sexual misconduct

Abstract

Accessible SummaryWhat is known on the subject? Professional sexual misconduct is the name given to the phenomenon of healthcare providers crossing sexual boundaries with their patients. It is comprised of a range of behaviors from comments to unwanted touching and even rape. The exact incidence is unknown, but estimates have been made. These abuses are thought to be underreported. The applicable reporting processes are problematic. Trauma‐informed care presupposes knowledge of various types of trauma, and this is one type. Traua‐informed care places emphasis on healthcare systems and healthcare providers' avoidance of retraumatizing patients who disclose any type of trauma, including sexual violence. What the paper adds to existing knowledge? This paper adds one narrative experience of a sexual assault perpetrated by the writer's colleague psychiatrist. It can be viewed as a cautionary tale about horizontal violence against nurses. This narrative discusses how one traumatic event can mushroom into chronic traumatic sequelae when disclosure re‐traumatizes. What are the implications for practice? Increased knowledge of this type of sexual violence may help those who have suffered it. As psychiatry is among the healthcare fields who regularly screen patients for trauma, it is imperative that the psychiatric workforce gain familiarity with trauma‐informed responses to avoid re‐traumatizing patients who disclose sexual violence.