Legal Analysis By Attorneys
Breaking Legal News
A South Abington Township chiropractor has been arrested for allegedly exposing himself and touching a client inappropriately. According to police, 51-year-old John Stevens demanded oral sex from a client in March, held her down, and refused to let her leave an examination room at his office, Stevens Chiropractic. The female victim came to his offices in South Abington Township with back pain. Police say that the two were the only people in the building when the alleged assault occurred.
The police say that Stevens took the victim’s phone away and refused to return it, touched her inappropriately, and told her that she could not leave until she gave him a massage. The victim immediately went to a hospital after leaving Stevens Chiropractic and medical staff gathered DNA from the victim.
Investigators gathered forensic evidence from the incident, which led to Stevens’ arrest on Monday, November 26. He has been charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, unlawful restraint, and simple assault. He is free on $50,000 unsecured bail.
The Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office is investigating to determine if there are other victims. Anyone with information or who has been a victim themselves has been encouraged to contact the DA.
Brian Kent is a healthcare sexual abuse attorney who specializes in helping the victims of sexual assault find justice. We’ve asked him to share some input into the options for legal recourse available to survivors of sexual assault committed by medical professionals:
Medical professionals are bound by a strict code of ethics based on providing the utmost standard of care and treating their patients with respect. But unfortunately, sexual assault by medical professionals is more common than we would like to believe. This constitutes a gross violation of the public’s trust and creates long-lasting trauma for victims. The victims of these assaults deserve justice for the harm they’ve suffered.
Criminal courts handle the prosecution of these predators, but civil courts more directly address the needs of victims. In many cases, survivors of these heinous crimes may have grounds for a lawsuit against the professional who abused them and the facility where the abuse occurred.
If you or someone you love has been sexually assaulted by a healthcare professional, you can learn more about your legal options for justice by speaking to an experienced sexual assault survivors lawyer.
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