When Trust Is Exploited: Abuse By Professionals In Positions Of Power

Recent news reports have alleged that a physician at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital has been charged with offences relating to child sexual abuse material. Police have stated that they have found no evidence connecting the charges to the physician’s medical practice, and the allegations have not been proven in court. [cbc.ca], [toronto.citynews.ca]

For many survivors of abuse, however, headlines like these can evoke something much larger than the specific allegations being reported. They can reopen difficult questions about trust, vulnerability, and what happens when people who are entrusted with the care of children use that trust for harmful purposes.

This article is not about any particular individual or case. It is about a much broader reality: sexual abuse committed by people in positions of authority, influence, and trust.

A note for survivors

Before going further, it is important to acknowledge that this topic may be difficult to read.

If you experienced sexual abuse by a doctor, therapist, teacher, coach, religious leader, or another trusted professional, you may notice feelings, memories, or physical reactions arise while reading.

Please know that you do not need to read this all at once. You do not need to have all the answers. And you do not need to be certain about what happened to you before seeking support.

Why abuse by professionals is different

Children are taught from a young age to trust certain people.

Doctors are expected to heal.

Teachers are expected to educate.

Therapists are expected to help.

Coaches are expected to mentor.

These relationships are built on trust, authority, and dependence. Often, the adult has access to information, environments, and opportunities that others do not. Children and families are told that these individuals are safe.

When a professional exploits that position for sexual purposes, the harm often extends far beyond the abusive acts themselves.

Survivors frequently describe lasting impacts on:

• their ability to trust authority figures;
• their sense of personal safety;
• future medical or therapeutic care;
• relationships with family members and partners;
• self-worth and identity;
• mental health and emotional regulation.

The betrayal can be profound because the person causing the harm is often the same person who was supposed to provide care, guidance, treatment, or protection.

Abuse often does not look the way people expect

Many people imagine sexual abuse as a sudden or isolated event.

The reality is often much more complicated.

Professionals who abuse children frequently rely on grooming behaviours. Grooming can involve:

• special attention;
• gifts or privileges;
• gradual boundary violations;
• secrecy;
• isolation from others;
• creating emotional dependence;
• making the child feel responsible for the relationship.

The abuse may occur over months or years. It may be disguised as mentorship, treatment, education, or care.

Because of this, many survivors do not immediately recognize what happened to them as abuse.

Some only come to understand the nature of the conduct years, or even decades, later.

Silence does not mean it didn’t happen

One of the most common questions survivors ask themselves is:

“Why didn’t I say something sooner?”

The answer is often found in the very nature of trauma and power imbalance.

Children are not responsible for protecting themselves from adults. Children are especially vulnerable when the adult involved is respected, admired, or viewed as an expert.

Many survivors fear:

• not being believed;
• getting into trouble;
• hurting their family;
• damaging someone’s career;
• being blamed for what happened.

Others simply try to survive by pushing the experience away.

Delayed disclosure is common in cases involving childhood sexual abuse. The fact that someone did not report immediately, or at all, does not mean the abuse did not occur.

Institutions may also bear responsibility

In many cases, the focus naturally falls on the individual offender.

However, an important legal question is whether an institution failed to protect the people in its care.

Schools, hospitals, sports organizations, religious institutions, camps, youth groups, and other organizations often have obligations to supervise, investigate complaints, enforce boundaries, and respond to warning signs.

Sometimes survivors later learn that:

• similar concerns had been raised before;
• complaints were not properly investigated;
• policies were inadequate;
• supervision was lacking;
• warning signs were ignored;
• the institution prioritized reputation over safety.

When that occurs, the responsibility for the harm may extend beyond the individual who committed the abuse.

Much of our work in this field focuses on cases involving institutions and the ways in which systems can fail the people they are meant to protect. Our approach reflects the reality that abuse frequently occurs within broader structures of power and trust.

If you were abused by a doctor

You do not need to know whether a lawsuit is possible before reaching out for help.

You do not need medical records in hand.

You do not need a police report.

You do not need to have every detail perfectly remembered.

Many survivors worry that too much time has passed. You should know that there is no limitation for pursuing a claim based on sexual abuse.

Others wonder whether what happened to them was “serious enough.”

Those concerns are understandable, but they should not stop you from seeking information about your options.

A conversation with a lawyer does not obligate you to take legal action. It can simply be an opportunity to understand your rights and explore what support may be available.

You are not alone

One of the most damaging effects of abuse is isolation.

Many survivors spend years believing they are the only person affected. Some carry shame that belongs entirely to the person who abused their position of power.

The responsibility for abuse always lies with the person who chose to exploit a child, never with the child themselves.

If something happened to you at the hands of a doctor, healthcare provider, therapist, teacher, coach, religious leader, or another trusted professional, know this:

You are not alone.

What happened matters.

And there may be options available to help you pursue accountability and healing.