Illustrations by Richard Watkins / AJC
An AJC National Investigation
Doctors & Sex Abuse
A broken system forgives sexually abusive doctors in every state, our national investigation finds.
In Kentucky, Dr. Ashok Alur was examining an infection on a patient’s abdomen when he entered forbidden territory. He told the patient she had sexy underwear. Then, he rubbed her and placed his mouth on her genitals. The patient pushed him away and went to police.
“It was so beautiful,” the doctor told her later, when she confronted him. “I couldn’t resist.”
In Missouri, Dr. Milton Eichmann asked a woman badly injured in a sexual assault if she liked being tied up during sex, whether she was easily stimulated and whether she liked to be urinated on. He then told the patient, who was seeing the doctor for treatment of urinary problems, that he was being aroused. Continue reading
Explore the series
Part 1: License to betray
Doctor sex abuse is tolerated by regulators and forgiven in every state, a national investigation finds
Part 2: Illness or crime?
In a broken system, doctors accused of sexual misconduct get treatment and return to work
Part 3: State secrets
The medical profession shields doctors’ abuse nationwide, leaving patients in the dark
Part 4: Failing grades
An analysis of laws and policies in every state finds huge gaps in patient protection
Part 5: Hurt that doesn’t heal
Victims suffer harm that can linger for a lifetime; some are willing to share their story
Full table of contents
The AJC launched its national investigation after a surprise finding from a story in 2015