Inappropriate sexual behaviours experienced by Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in South Africa

South African Journal of Communication Disorders

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Inappropriate sexual behaviours experienced by Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in South Africa
 
Creator Levin, Karen Traub, Loren
 
Subject — sexual harassment; speech pathology and audiology; professional-patient relationships
Description The experience of inappropriate sexual behaviours (ISB) by healthcare professionals has been identified internationally as a serious issue. This study investigated the extent of ISB directed towards speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists (SLP/As) in South Africa. As well as the sources and the effects of ISB, the responses of the SLP/As, and the perceptions of the SLP/As with regard to their ability to manage ISB experiences. Fifty-six qualified SLP/As and 62 student SLP/As completed a questionnaire based on similar studies conducted in Canada and New Zealand. Most of the respondents had experienced ISB, mostly of a mild to moderate nature, at some point in their careers, and some had experienced severe ISB in the workplace. ISB occurred in a variety of work contexts. The sources of ISB included clients and/or their family members, as well as colleagues and employers. A range of personal and work-related effects resulted and the respondents took the least assertive strategy' in the management of their ISB experiences. The results reflected that SLP/As in South Africa are poorly informed with regard to their legal rights and responsibilities, as well as strategies to deal with unwanted sexually related experiences. ISB ought to be recognised as a serious issue in clinical practice in South Africa by SLP/As, professional bodies as well as training institutions. The results are in line with previous research on ISB experiences by SLP/As and other healthcare professionals.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2006-12-31
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajcd.v53i1.195
 
Source South African Journal of Communication Disorders; Vol 53, No 1 (2006); 5–15 2225-4765 0379-8046
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/195/295
 
Coverage — — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2019 Karen Levin, Loren Traub https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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