Man touched genitals to fix ear problem
A Chinese medical practitioner has been ordered to pay $7000 to a former patient after he treated her ear problem by touching her genitals.
The man, whose name is suppressed, is an experienced acupuncture specialist who learned his medical techniques in China.
The Human Rights Review Tribunal found the man had breached health and disability regulations in five different ways and it is now considering imposing a restraining order on him.
The woman's ear problem began on her honeymoon in June 2002, when an air horn on a boat sounded next to her, leaving her with a ringing noise in her ears that would not go away.
After consulting an audiologist, the woman decided to try acupuncture and went to the Chinese practitioner in September 2002.
However, after considering her medical history, the man came to the conclusion that the problem was related to depleted levels of chi (energy) because of increased sexual activity since the woman's marriage.
He claimed that in Chinese medicine, the ears were related to the kidneys, which in turn were affected by sexual intercourse.
AdvertisementAdvertisementDuring the session, the man asked the woman to undress to her underwear and used acupuncture needles in her abdomen.
The woman, who was surprised by the treatment, asked if her husband should come to the next session, but was told that was unnecessary.
During the second session, the man pulled down the woman's underwear and put the acupuncture needles in her pubic area, before touching her genitals.
When the woman told him she was uncomfortable with the treatment, he replied that she should "pretend I am a woman".
At the tribunal hearing, the man explained that the treatment was a three-stage approach that would have eventually used acupuncture around the ears.
The tribunal found that the man had breached the code of health and disability services consumers' rights in several ways, including not allowing the woman to undress in private, touching her genitals, omitting details of the procedure in his records and failing to communicate to her what he was going to do.
However, he was given latitude because of his low command of English.
The tribunal also decided that the man had not touched the woman for his own gratification but "simply got carried away with an explanation he was trying to give".
The tribunal has reserved its decision on a restraining order that would affect the man's ability to practise medicine until further submissions can be made by both parties.
A Chinese medical practitioner has been ordered to pay $7000 to a former patient after he treated her ear problem by touching her genitals.
The man, whose name is suppressed, is an experienced acupuncture specialist who learned his medical techniques in China.
The Human Rights Review Tribunal found the man had breached health and disability regulations in five different ways and it is now considering imposing a restraining order on him.
The woman's ear problem began on her honeymoon in June 2002, when an air horn on a boat sounded next to her, leaving her with a ringing noise in her ears that would not go away.
After consulting an audiologist, the woman decided to try acupuncture and went to the Chinese practitioner in September 2002.
However, after considering her medical history, the man came to the conclusion that the problem was related to depleted levels of chi (energy) because of increased sexual activity since the woman's marriage.
He claimed that in Chinese medicine, the ears were related to the kidneys, which in turn were affected by sexual intercourse.
AdvertisementAdvertisementDuring the session, the man asked the woman to undress to her underwear and used acupuncture needles in her abdomen.
The woman, who was surprised by the treatment, asked if her husband should come to the next session, but was told that was unnecessary.
During the second session, the man pulled down the woman's underwear and put the acupuncture needles in her pubic area, before touching her genitals.
When the woman told him she was uncomfortable with the treatment, he replied that she should "pretend I am a woman".
At the tribunal hearing, the man explained that the treatment was a three-stage approach that would have eventually used acupuncture around the ears.
The tribunal found that the man had breached the code of health and disability services consumers' rights in several ways, including not allowing the woman to undress in private, touching her genitals, omitting details of the procedure in his records and failing to communicate to her what he was going to do.
However, he was given latitude because of his low command of English.
The tribunal also decided that the man had not touched the woman for his own gratification but "simply got carried away with an explanation he was trying to give".
The tribunal has reserved its decision on a restraining order that would affect the man's ability to practise medicine until further submissions can be made by both parties.
