It is one of the most serious abuse cases in Norwegian history. The former municipal superintendent at Frosta has been charged with assaulting 95 women. 88 of them the police believe he raped. The assaults must have occurred over several years. According to the indictment, the rapes must have occurred during medical examinations in the period 2004 to 2022. The indictment in the case against the former municipal superintendent: The indictment decision deals with a total of 95 offended women. For all of them, the indictment applies to violations of the Criminal Code 1902 § 193 and the Criminal Code 2005 § 295 for having obtained sexual relations by abusing their position as a doctor. For 88 of these, he is additionally charged with violations of the Penal Code 1902 § 192 first and second paragraph and the Penal Code 2005 § 291/§ 292 for rape by having acquired sexual relations with someone who was unable to resist this. All the indictments relate to actions that must have been committed in connection with medical examinations carried out by the accused in the period 2004 to 2022. With one exception, the examinations were carried out at the office where the person concerned worked. A number of the investigations are filmed without the victim’s knowledge or consent. But how could it take so long before the police caught up on the case? – Shame is a feeling that typically triggers hiding behaviour. I typically don’t tell anyone else what I’m ashamed of. It can contribute to things we feel a lot of shame about remaining hidden, says researcher Helene Flood Aakvaag. Researcher Helene Flood Aakvaag researches shame in connection with violence and abuse. The accused doctor has always denied having done anything criminal. – The feeling of loneliness Aakvaag works at the National Knowledge Center on Violence and Traumatic Stress where she researches violence in close relationships and trauma-related guilt and shame. She says that it is completely normal to feel ashamed after being subjected to violence and abuse. – It’s about feeling humiliated, feeling exposed, feeling that you are somehow responsible for what happened or have not done enough to stop it, says the researcher. That is why it is also common to keep silent about the feelings you are holding on to after abuse. – Shame is often called the feeling of loneliness. It is about not sharing. Often people pull away, says Aakvaag. Felt used news has previously spoken to one of the women who had the municipal superintendent as her GP. Since 2016, she has had 14 gynecological examinations with the doctor. Nine of them are registered in the medical record and five are not. In addition, the investigations must have been filmed. – I feel stupid and used for accepting everything he did in the belief that I was lucky to have a doctor who was so thorough and spent so much time on me, said the woman who wished to remain anonymous. She believes that there are probably 20 hours of video recording of her at the doctor. – The fact that I spread around more or less naked today just feels disgusting and perverted, she said. It took a long time before many of those affected chose to tell about what they had experienced. But there were also some who tried to warn. Tove Røddesnes is coordinating legal aid for all the women affected in the Frosta case. She is running and preparing for the 16-week trial that starts in November. – It is an abuse of superior power and a relationship of trust. That makes it more difficult to notify, says Røddesnes. She does not want to go into specifics about how the women are doing today before the trial starts. – I would like to believe that it has affected the aggrieved that individuals have tried to report without being heard, she says. Social assistance lawyer Tove Røddesnes says the women affected in the case have reacted very differently to what they have been through. Some of them have also tried to notify, without being heard. Photo: Morten Andersen / news Talk out of shame The feelings the woman describes fit well with research findings. She points out that shame is linked to how others view those who are affected by it. – Then you also have to ask yourself how we as a society view those who are exposed to violence and abuse, she says. Aakvaag says there is no easy way to get rid of the feeling. – If it’s about hiding something from others, then the solution lies there too. Finding someone to talk to, someone you trust, is important. It is important to talk about the shameful thing that has happened, she concludes. Certain researchers have therefore taken the consequence of this by changing the way victims are referred to. There is now talk of survivors. – That is a slightly stronger word. One has gone through something. There is more will and strength in that, says the researcher. Published 27/09/2024, at 20.50
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Don’t be surprised that none of the women talked about this – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
