Reply to Sidwell sued over staff psychologist's affair

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

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9:58 here, I agree with you, but of all the players here, the dad is the one who has taken a private family matter and made it an international story, at the expense of his 6 (?) year old daughter.

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I really have to disagree with this. It misplaces the action and consequences.  Perpetrators RELY on the victim's shame to keep the victim quite thus shielding the perpetrator from the full brunt of the consequences of his actions.

IF, the psychologist saw the child in any capacity, and IF he then carried out an affair with the mother of the child he had seen, then the psychologist (not the father) must stand for the full consequences of his actions, which include disclosure of the affair to the world.

Would you say to a rape victim that the shame and stigma which they experience (but shouldn't have to experience) is their fault because they chose to speak out about their rape?  Of course not.  Would you say to a child that they should keep quiet about the pedophile that abused them?  Of course not.  Why would you say that the father is at fault for speaking publicly about the misuse of his child (if that is what took place)?  The psychologist (allegedly) committed acts that if found out would bring great chaos to the life of the child -- that that happened would be the fault of the psychologist (if as alleged) not the father who spoke out.

To call this a "private family matter" is really to minimize the seriousness of relationships between therapists and their patients.  (And yes, IMO, the mother of an assessed minor child qualifies as part of the "patient" dyad.)  Patient-therapist sex is considered a form of sexual abuse.  It is forbidden by the professional code, subject to tort law suit (as filed here) and, in some states, explicitly criminalized.   If this happened, then anyone reporting this is doing a public service by outing a therapist who abuses patient boundaries and should be excluded from practice.

Silence precludes victims from living openly (i.e. without secrets) and from gaining support from others.  Silence is a perpetrator's best friend.  [/quote]

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