Psychologist forces patient to wear dog collar

[kalisphoenix]

Psychologist makes patient wear dog collar

Psychologist makes patient wear dog collar
Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:26 AM ET

SYDNEY, Jan 30 (Reuters Life!) - An Australian psychologist charged with indecently assaulting a patient told a court on Tuesday that forcing his female patient to wear a dog collar and call him master was within a psychologist's ethical guidelines.

Psychologist Bruce Beaton, 64, pleaded not guilty in the Western Australia District Court to four charges of indecently assaulting a 22-year-old woman in 2005, local media reported.

Beaton was arrested when police, who had been secretly video recording the session with the woman, heard whipping sounds, reported Australian Associated Press from the court.

Beaton told the court he resorted to master-servant treatment with his bulimic patient because other methods had failed. He said he thought forcing the woman to wear a dog collar and call him master would build a more trusting relationship.

He said such treatment was allowed by the Australian Psychological Society. "It is right within the ethical guidelines," Beaton told the court.

"I am not saying it would be all right if I hit her. I did not hit her," he said. The trial continues.

Discuss.

 

[Queso]

Oh dear. Normally with a story like this I would just say "And?", but given the context of Doctor/Patient I don't believe this comes under the realm of consenting adults. However, you do have to always remember that the press love a good sex story. I'll wait and see on this one.

 

[Grakkle]

Discuss.

Not acceptable. I don't care whether the guy actually hit the woman or not - such treatment is inherently degrading, whatever the intended result is.

Not to mention that I very much doubt whether such "treatment" would really have the intended effect. I think it's pretty much just another case of an insane psychologist using the excuse of "legitimate treatment" to justify their own perversion.

 

[MentalFabric]

As a student psychologist (and someone who can enjoy a dog collar in the right time and place) I must say I'm rather intruiged, but what he was doing certainly wouldn't be acceptable to the British Psychological Society or I should imagine the Australian equivalent

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