In the wake of the intermediate conclusions delivered by the Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence Against Children (Ciivise), the vice-president of the national council of the order of doctors, Marie-Pierre Glaviano-Ceccaldi declared, Thursday March 31, that the order of doctors is not “not favorable” to one “duty to report” for doctors who suspect sexual violence in a child, as recommended by the Ciivise.
“There is no obligation to report, but we are bound by an obligation to protect. When a doctor is sure that there is sexual violence, he must report it to the public prosecutor. When he has suspicions, he can report worrying information to the unit for collecting worrying information relating to minors in danger”a departmental child protection system, she told Agence France-Presse.
“At the same time, he must explain to the parents that the child needs to see specialists for additional care. If he has doubts, he must seek collegiality”she adds. “On the other hand, he cannot come to the aid of the mother of the child (if the father is involved) or report these suspicions to the juvenile judge. It’s the law “she says.
“Clarifying the reporting obligation”
Doctors have been sued before the council of the order by parents suspected of ill-treatment for “interference” in family life or for going directly to the juvenile court judge responsible for the protection of the child in question.
In its report on Thursday, the Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Abuse of Children (Ciivise) recommends “clarifying the reporting obligation” by doctors of child victims of sexual violence “even at the stage of suspicion”. She recommends to “suspend disciplinary proceedings against protective doctors”. “It is important that the rules are clear to protect children and doctors themselves”explained the co-president of the Ciivise Edouard Durand, Thursday on France Info.
“Some aggressor parents file a complaint against the reporting doctor. It is the aggressor who turns against the protector, what is called the risk of retaliation”confirmed Dr. Marie-Pierre Glaviano-Ceccaldi. “The departmental council of the order of doctors does not have the power to stop a complaint. » “It is a subject that deserves to be evaluated” to see if it has an inhibiting effect on doctors, she notes.
Every year, 160,000 children are victims of sexual violence, often incestuous, which has serious lifelong repercussions on their health and mental state. Only 5% of reports of child abuse come from the medical sector, according to the High Authority for Health.
Also listen Incest: at the heart of the Ciivise, a commission to listen and repair