Irina, a 13-year-old girl of Arabic cultural heritage living in Boston, Massachusetts,
was brought by her parents to a hospital emergency room after an assault by a
stranger.
Based on her injuries, the hospital staff suspected that the attacker had
also sexually assaulted the girl, but she and her parents refused medical evaluations
for rape. The family received a referral to see Janet Matthews, a clinical psychologist
specializing in adolescent trauma. During their initial meeting with Dr. Matthews,
the parents asked the psychologist not to discuss any sexual aspects of the assault
with their daughter but to treat the psychological trauma from the assault in general.
They told the psychologist that admitting a rape had taken place would cast a
stigma on their daughter and make her ineligible to be married to men in their
closely knit ethnic community. When asked in private, the girl also requested that
sexual issues not be discussed for the same reason.
Ethical Dilemma
Dr. Matthews does not know if she should agree to the parents’ and child’s
request.
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Appendix B——357
Discussion Questions
1. Why is this an ethical dile
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