According to authorities, a doctor from New York City was accused on Monday in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of at least six women, including many patients who were allegedly drugged, recorded, and attacked while in visits at a prominent nearby hospital.
Zhi Alan Cheng was charged with raping three more women inside his Queens, New York, apartment and sexually assaulting three of his patients at the New York-Presbyterian Queens hospital, according to CBS News. He was arraigned on these allegations on Monday. He entered a not-guilty plea to the accusations.
Following his arrest for allegedly raping a female acquaintance in his Queens home, the 33-year-old gastroenterologist lost his hospital employment in December.
The woman informed law enforcement at the time that she had seen footage of Cheng molesting several other women in addition to her.
New Video Evidence
According to the new charge, detectives found a wealth of video evidence depicting the doctor abusing women inside his home and business while searching his residence and electronic devices.
Three hospital patients, including a 19-year-old and a "seriously ill" 47-year-old, were shown being touched by Cheng in the video, according to the prosecution.
According to court records, all of the ladies looked to be unconscious while being abused, which suggests Cheng sedated them with an anesthetic.
Along with recreational drugs including cocaine and ecstasy, a variety of liquid anesthetics were found at his residence, according to court filings.
Melinda Katz, the district attorney for Queens, said in a statement that the evidence indicated "a serial rapist, someone willing to violate not only his sacred professional oath and patients' trust, but every standard of human decency."
The arrest comes after the conviction of Robert Hadden, a gynecologist who worked for New York-Presbyterian Hospital and was accused of abusing 245 women over a 20-year period. In June, he received a 20-year prison term.
A representative for New York-Presbyterian, Angela Karafazi, called Cheng's alleged behavior "a fundamental betrayal of our mission and our patients' trust."
According to her, the hospital plans to evaluate its patient safety procedures and give all staff members additional training.
Read also: Virginia Multimillionaire's Son Sentenced to 18 Years for Sexually Exploiting Multiple Minors
Sexual Assaults By Doctors in The US
Sexual assault by doctors is a serious problem in the United States. According to a 2018 study by the American Medical Association, one in five female patients has experienced sexual misconduct by a doctor. The study also found that only 13% of these patients reported the abuse to anyone.
There are many reasons patients may not report sexual assault by a doctor. Some patients may feel ashamed or embarrassed, or they may not believe that anyone will believe them. Others may fear retaliation from the doctor or from the medical system. Still, others may simply not know how to report the abuse.
The lack of reporting makes it difficult to know the true extent of the problem of sexual assault by doctors. However, the available data suggests that it is a widespread problem that is causing significant harm to patients.
The consequences of sexual assault by a doctor can be devastating for patients. They may experience physical and emotional pain, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. They may also have difficulty trusting doctors and other healthcare providers in the future.
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