"The young woman who came to see you believed you could help her at a particularly difficult time in her life. She had every reason to believe she could trust you. All the information you provided to her led her to believe you were a qualified bioenergetics practitioner. That was a lie. You were banned from practising by the Bioenergetics Institute because in the late 1980s you used your position to sexually abuse women under the guise of therapy."
"He caused profound and lasting damage to my mental and physical health, and to every part of my life. More than five years later, I still experience terrifying flashbacks that feel as though I am back in that room with him. I have lived these past five years with constant worry that other women are likely still being harmed by him."
"Unregulated therapists abusing clients and continuing to practise is a growing problem, and there are mounting calls for formal oversight of the profession."
Gerald Peck, a bodywork psychotherapist, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after conviction on five sexual offences. He falsely claimed qualifications in bioenergetics and used this deception to sexually abuse a vulnerable client seeking help for depression and anxiety. Peck had been previously banned by the Bioenergetics Institute in the late 1980s for similar abuses but continued practising illegally. The judge characterized him as a charlatan and fraud who exploited his victim's trust during a difficult period. He was ordered to pay damages covering the victim's recovery therapy costs. The case highlights growing concerns about unregulated therapists abusing clients without formal professional oversight.
#sexual-abuse-by-therapist #unregulated-therapy-practitioners #fraud-and-deception-in-healthcare #professional-oversight-and-regulation #victim-trauma-and-recovery
Read at www.theguardian.com
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