“The numbers offer only a glimpse into how many people are abused by their gynecologists across the U.S.” And this is likely just the tip of the iceberg, says Laura Palumbo, a spokesperson for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. But a 2017 review of 101 recent physician sex-abuse cases revealed that nearly 13 percent of perpetrators were ob-gyns. Incident numbers are hard to come by because they’re only recorded in national databases if a complaint against a doctor results in legal action. (Although not a gyno, former USA Gymnastics sports doctor Larry Nassar used similar tactics to sexually abuse hundreds of patients for years.)
Even more flagrant misconduct-like massaging a woman’s clitoris or blatant fingering-might be explained away by a predatory MD as just part of the process. That’s why violations like performing ungloved pelvic exams (gloved exams are a requirement of the CDC) or spending too much time inside the vagina can be tough to pinpoint. Few doctors have as much power-especially over young, sexually inexperienced patients-as a gyno, a physician whose literal job is to touch a woman’s most sensitive areas. Tyndall denies any wrongdoing.)Įven in the age of #MeToo, when many women finally feel empowered to speak out against abuse, sexual assault by gynecologists remains an underreported and little understood problem. She’s now one of more than 100 women suing him and USC, alleging sexual battery and harassment. Tyndall had been accused of inappropriate behavior and had been fired. That’s when Daniella received an e-mail from USC:ĭr. It wasn’t until two years later, in May 2018, that the incident started to make sense. Daniella trusted the school, so she thought she could trust him too. Still, he worked at her student health center at the University of Southern California (USC). Tyndall 10 minutes earlier when, in his office, he told her that Filipina women like her were smart and good in bed.
She’d already gotten weird vibes from Dr. “But I just assumed that’s how a normal gyno visit was done.” Daniella, then 19, had never had a pelvic exam before. Tyndall explained that he was prepping her for an STI test, making it so the swab wouldn’t hurt when it entered her. He stood there as she lay down on the exam table, then inserted two ungloved fingers into her vagina, feeling around for what felt like ages, pausing only to add lube. Daniella Mohazab will never forget how, while watching her undress from the waist down, her gynecologist smiled.Ī middle-aged man in khaki pants, George Tyndall, MD, didn’t leave the room after asking Daniella to remove her clothes.
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