You expect Florida health care practitioners to conduct themselves in a professional manner whenever you interact with them. While most would never do anything to violate the trust of their patients, there are some who may use their position of authority to victimize those who need their help the most. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to report instances of what you believe to be sexual misconduct.
Talk to authorities
Filing a police report enables authorities to begin an investigation into the person who may have acted inappropriately. When talking to the police, be sure to include as many details about the incident as possible including the date, time and location of the incident. You may also want to include medical records, physician statements or other evidence that you may have to corroborate your version of events. The more information that you provide, the easier it may be for authorities to take action.
Notify professional boards
The state licensing board will likely want to hear about any incidents of unprofessional behavior toward a patient. It may also be a good idea to report sexual abuse to administrators at the office or hospital where the inappropriate behavior occurred. Depending on the circumstances of your report, a board may have enough evidence to suspend your abuser or take other action immediately. Even if you don’t think that anything will be done, filing a report may give others the courage to report their own experiences or alert others to stay away in the future.
If you are the victim of sexual abuse, you have the right to file a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator. You may be entitled to compensation for a variety of actual and other damages stemming from the behavior of a medical professional.