“I’m disappointed that I didn’t say anything. I’m not afraid of the devil, but I was too frozen to say anything. I wanted to shout ‘stop’, but no sound came out of me,” said one of the women who filed a complaint. alleged assault by a 55-year-old former physiotherapist from Emmer-Compascuum.
Sixteen women reported sexual assault or rape. They were treated by the therapist in his practice in Klazienaveen from January 2016 to September 2021.
The women either had neck and shoulder problems, heel spurs, joint problems in the hand after surgery or back problems. To their great shock, their private parts such as breasts, pubic area and buttocks were massaged. They had to take off the underwear themselves, or the therapist did this.
The women were stark naked and alone with the therapist in the treatment room. Almost all the complainants were so shocked by the action that they lay completely frozen on the table.
Some still thought: “I shouldn’t act like that, I’m too prudish. He knows what he’s doing,” they later told the police. Others thought their private parts were accidentally touched. “But it happened so often that I started to have doubts about this,” said a complainant.
The therapist also allegedly penetrated two women with his fingers. In these cases, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) assumes rape. The suspect strongly denies everything. “I find it annoying that they had a different experience. We have always discussed everything in advance,” he said.
According to him, the hearing presented a picture of the treatment that he absolutely disagreed with. He never consciously touched the genitals. “I stay far away from that,” he said.
The women also noticed that the man did not turn his face away when dressing and undressing. “He would look straight at you, with his arms folded,” a complainant said at the hearing.
Seven complainants made use of their right to speak and told the judge what they had experienced and what this had done to them. “That was professional. You get the most information about movement complaints by looking,” the man said.
According to him, the women have coordinated their stories. That is not true, said some of the complainants. “I doubted for a long time whether what I had experienced was abnormal. When I read that he had been arrested, I shouted: ‘so anyway’ and hit the table with my hand,” said one woman. Most did not know the co-reporters and did not know what each other had gone through, they said.
The women felt mostly shame because they had allowed it to happen. The suspect said he always acted in the interest of the patient’s health.
An expert in the field of physiotherapy examined the suspects’ treatment methods. That report was also discussed during the hearing. The expert concluded that the problems of his clients and his treatments described by the suspect were not in line with what is usual.
In all cases it was not necessary to remove the bra and underwear. “If necessary, you can deviate from the rules,” the suspect said.
The man has been in pre-trial detention for fifteen months from November 2021. He has been free since February this year. His practice in Klazienaveen is closed and he has deregistered from the BIG register.
Tomorrow the court will continue with, among other things, the sentence demanded by the Public Prosecution Service and the suspect’s defense.