New laws about sexual misconduct by therapists: knowledge and attitudes among Wisconsin psychiatrists

As many as 7% of psychiatrists admit to having sexual intercourse with patients, despite ethical prohibitions going back to the Hippocratic Oath. Emotional damage, reported by 85% to 90% of involved patients, forms part of the justification for this prohibition. Since 1986, therapist sexual misconduct has been a felony in Wisconsin. Under this law, definitions of sexual exploitation include sexual contact as well as sexual intercourse, and non-psychiatric physicians may be defined as "therapists." In May 1988, Wisconsin legislation became effective requiring therapists to report sexual exploitation revealed in treatment. A 1987 survey of 175 members of the Wisconsin Psychiatric Association showed that a majority favored passage of such a law. More than 40% of surveyed psychiatrists have had experience with such cases, and more than half were willing to provide consultation in this area.