Abuse of Patient Trust Must NOT be Tolerated

We the undersigned,

hereby submit our request that the license of convicted sexual offender Peter Titchener be revoked by the College of Chiropractors of British Columbia, Canada.

Our petition stems from recognition of the fact that while the lives of those former patients abused by convicted sex offenders Peter Titchener (Comox) and Michael Buna (Victoria) have been forever changed, both members of the College of Chiropractors of BC have been allowed to continue practicing in their chosen profession.

We are motivated to support the many women who found the courage to come forward in each case hoping that justice in relation to the crimes committed against them would prevail and help prevent further abuse of patient trust. Some of us are also acting in support of those who could not find the strength to endure the challenges of wading into the legal system or coping with systemic denial of the seriousness of sexual assault, and remain the 'invisible' victims of abuse in our communities.

Michael Buna was found guilty on five charges of sexual assault out of the ten leveled against him in March, 2008. While having no prior record helped him escape jail time and official registry as a sex offender,  it should be noted that complaints concerning Buna's conduct spanned a 12 year period of chiropractic practise.

It should also be duly noted that the RCMP have acknowledged receiving over two dozen complaints regarding Titchener. Five of seven counts that made it to court resulted in a guilty verdict by jury in October, 2008. And yet Titchener has made no admission of misconduct. Those who have suffered this betrayal directly, as well as their families and communities, are still waiting for discipline to be handed down by the College of Chiropractors of BC. 

Now that Peter Titchener has dropped his legal appeal we call on the College of Chiropractors of BC to revoke his license.

In 1990, an Ontario task force produced a groundbreaking report that recommended enacting a law based on the policy of zero tolerance of sexual abuse in recognition of the inherent power imbalance between a health care provider and a patient. It concluded that any regulated health professional (including nurses, dentists, chiropractors, psychologists and more than 20 other disciplines) found guilty of acts that constitute the sexual abuse of a patient should be stripped of their license, period.

We call on the College of Chiropractors of BC to set such an example. We want it understood that discipline in the form of monetary fines and/or limited restrictions on the ongoing practices of  members of the College found guilty of sexual assault are NOT ENOUGH!
 

We believe that all those victimized by Titchener%u2019s abuse of trust - including the families and communities personally affected as well as law-abiding chiropractors and society at large - deserve respectful assurance from the College of Chiropractors of BC that it is prepared to act accountably by revoking the license of Peter Titchener.

Thank you for your serious consideration of this important matter.