male instructor touching students - I voiced my concern

Nursing Students General Students

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Hi guys, I don't know if you remember that some weeks ago I posted a message here regarding my health assessment male instructor touching the female students during lab classes. Anyway, 98% of the students in my class are women from 19 - 44 years old, and at least half of us (maybe more) feel really uncomfortable with this specific instructor. Anyway, he can be nice and funny at times, but many of us think he is quite bossy and arrogant, and overuses his power making some of us feel really small. So I was already frustrated about this whole thing, and two weeks ago when we had to do the abdomen assessment, I was lying in bed and 2 other students were working with me, assessing each other. We had curtains around and our instructor said that we didn't need to wear gown, so I was lying there with my shirt on top of my breasts and my jeans opened. He came into the cubicle where we were, and he asked me to show my pubic bone. But I was feeling kind of uncomfortable, and he said: "If you can't find it, I will!" And he reached down my panties and started touching my pubic bone, not taking into consideration that he was crossing my comfort zone and didn't respect the fact that I didn't want him touching me. Then when he grabbed my jeans to drop even more I said "NO".. and he ended up making comments about my pubic hair, as there was no reason for me to be shy because he had seen lots, and he looked at the two students and said that eventually we have to be forceful with patients.

I just felt that my privacy wasn't ensured at any time. He again overused his power, compromised my learning, and then came back later to ask if I was ok. Then the next day, he phoned my house to apologise, but because I was already fedup, I phoned the other campus (same University) and talked to the dean of health sciences and explained to her what had happened and I was curious to know what his job description really is and how far can he go. So to make the story short, the Dean of health sciences ended up phoning the coordinator of the nursing program and told her that I had phoned, and the dean also talked to the male instructor.

But it seemed to me that after the Dean talked to the instructor, they were convinced by his version of the story, and I felt as if I am just being a whiner and although the said that they understand my concerns and changes will be made, I think they are saying that just to pretend they are supporting me. The coordinator of the nursing program who is a female, is defending him, and said to me that "he is a nurse and he did that to me, just because he was trying to demonstrate to me where my pubic bone is"

I still think he shouldn't touch us at all. But apparently he thinks that he needs to keep demonstrating how to do things. I also suggested us wearing shorts and tanktops instead of just panties and bra, but I noticed some resistance to the idea.

Oh well... I just get a negative vibe from him, and I am happy to know that he won't ever tough me again, but I really wish something could be done, so people wouldn't feel intimidated to go to his class.

Thanks for listening..

This man is a disgusting pervert. It sounds like the university is not handling things correctly either. I wouldn't let this go, he may not touch you again, but he probably WILL touch other people, in or out of the school setting.

Report this perv!!!!!

Specializes in Urology, surgery, pediatrics.

I know you're probably in a quandrary: your complaint, as detailed as it may seem, against an instructor who may be considered "well respected" by his colleagues or other students (except the others you described as uncomfortable with him). So what do you do?

Well, for right now, you did the best you could: register a complaint against him. And for right now it seems he got away with what he did to you. But one of the first dictions you learn in psychology is apropos here: "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior." And sooner or later, the truth comes out. He is going to think he got away with this one, and will do something similar-- guaranteed-- to another student. Then his past with you will come back to haunt him, big time!!

So just relax for now. Things have a way of working out.

You poor thing. This absolutely blows my mind. I would have done exactly what you did, I think a lot of people would. You have every right to feel uncomfortable and when you do you have every right to mention it. I would honestly feel uncomfortable in this situation with a male or female instructor unless it was clearly stated what was going to happen and then I fully agree to take part. What he did was ridiculous.

This disgusts me, it really does.

just so you know- the op was from December... hopefully things have worked out by now.

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