ACOG's Recommendation for Chaperones in Preventing Sexual Abuse By Doctors Is Useless

Dr. Robert Altman was a well-respected ob/gyn who has been accused of sexually abusing patients according to the article, “California medical board accuses high-profile Modesto doctor of sexual misconduct” on September 5, 2024. One very important detail we need to notice about this case is that an assistant was in the room while Dr. Altman abused Patient 1 during a genital exam. She stood behind Altman, several feet away, and could not see how he touched the patient.

This is just one example that refutes the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ recommendation that chaperones be present for all genital, breast, and rectal exams is not a solution to prevent sexual abuse by doctors. Chaperones such as nurses, medical assistants, etc. employed by the doctor or medical facility are there to only benefit the doctor and medical facility to reduce liability. Instead of advocating for patients, chaperones often defend doctors when they are accused of sexual abuse or other inappropriate behavior. An employee will rarely report sexual abuse due to the risk of being fired for discrimination in the workplace. Also, even if a chaperone reports sexual abuse, it is too late and there is nothing that can be done to reverse the damage.

Another example that demonstrates that chaperones are useless in preserving patient dignity and rights is the case of Dr. James Heaps, a renowned gynecologic oncologist who was charged with sexual abuse. Ellen Cater, one of the victims of Dr. Heaps, shared in an interview with Elle that his female chaperones turned a blind eye to the abuse she endured. Ms. Cater stated in the lawsuit:

“I assumed having another woman in the room meant they were there to protect me from things like this,” she says. “So I told myself, ‘they approve of it, so he must know what he’s doing.'"

One woman shared that Dr. Robert Hadden, the New York OB/GYN who abused many women during childbirth and exams molested her one time as her husband held her hand. Even this patient’s husband could not prevent the doctor from abusing his wife.

Visit this web site: www.sexualmisconductbydoctors.com to see how all of the doctors, especially gynecologists, accused of sexually abusing female patients are male. Many of them had chaperones present as they abused patients or secretly took pictures of patients’ private parts with hidden cameras. Many doctors get away with sexual abuse without ever being held accountable because they have chaperones to defend them.

The root of this problem is male doctors performing intimate procedures on women.

Sexual abuse in medical settings began when male doctors were allowed to examine intimate body parts of women.

Before modern medicine, only midwives were present for sensitive exams and childbirth. When medical schools were founded, male doctors began to perform intimate procedures on women. Medical schools would not originally admit women and this is why gynecologists were men for many years.

Refer to this article, “History of Modern Gynecology” for more information.

While it is great that modern gynecology has brought improvements such as C-Sections that have decreased maternal deaths and surgeries for gynecologic cancers, only women should have been allowed to be gynecologists in the beginning.

Dr. John Smith, a former male gynecologist who wrote the book, Women and Doctors courageously shared that after 24 years of medical education and clinical gynecological experience that men should not be gynecologists. He discussed in his book how he observed some of his colleagues abusing women once they were under anesthesia.

Everyone is encouraged to check out our YouTube videos at www.youtube.com/patientmodesty and our article, “Why Women Should Avoid Male Doctors for Intimate Procedures”. Be sure to peruse the sources section of the article at the bottom. “Tide and Time” is an important piece that reveals how a male family practice doctor admitted to having lustful thoughts as he examined women’s private parts.

Medical Patient Modesty advocates that only female practitioners should perform intimate procedures on female patients. The best way for all women to prevent sexual abuse in medical settings is to avoid male medical professionals for intimate procedures such as breast exams, rectal exams, colonoscopies, Pap smears, etc. involving private areas of the body covered by a two-piece bathing suit.