Doctor Sentenced to Six Years for Sexual Abuse During Medical Consultation in Ecuador

A Loja provincial court has sentenced a doctor to six years and eight months in prison for committing sexual abuse against a patient during a medical consultation in 2022. The judicial ruling also mandates financial penalties and reparations for the victim.

The convicted physician, identified as Vicente P., was found guilty by the court after the General State Prosecutor's Office presented its evidence. The tribunal declared him criminally responsible for the offense. In addition to his prison sentence, Vicente P. was ordered to pay a fine equivalent to 12 unified basic salaries, totaling $5,784. Furthermore, $5,000 was allocated to the victim as comprehensive reparation for the damages incurred.

The case originated from a complaint filed by the victim, who reported that the assault took place on August 11, 2022. She had visited a health facility in Loja for a check-up when the doctor allegedly committed sexual acts. During the trial, the prosecution supported its case with multiple pieces of evidence. Key among these were the victim's early testimony, where she detailed the assault and identified the perpetrator, as well as the testimonies of a responding police officer and the victim's partner.

Supporting reports included a site inspection, psychological and social work assessments confirming the victim's emotional distress, a forensic medical report, the patient's clinical history, the accused doctor's employment records, and records of his work shifts on the day of the incident and the appointment date. The legal framework applied was Article 170 of the Organic Integral Penal Code (COIP), which criminalizes sexual abuse. Judges applied an aggravating factor from Article 48, numeral 8, of the same code to increase the initial penalty.