Woman testifies against doctor accused of sexual assaults at Elmwood clinic

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This article was published 06/05/2019 (2070 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A woman told a Winnipeg court Tuesday she was sexually assaulted in late 2017 by a local doctor from whom she’d sought treatment for abdominal pain, a vaginal infection and painful defecation.

The woman, who can’t be identified under a court-ordered publication ban, is one of 11 who have accused Dr. Amir Ravesh, 51, of sexual assaults dating to 2013 at You Medical Centres, a clinic in Elmwood where Ravesh used to work.

Ravesh, whose full name is Amir Houshang Mazhariravesh, also faces one charge of obtaining sexual services for consideration. He was released in November 2018 on bail with several conditions, including not practising medicine.

The allegations against him have not been proven in court.

The woman testified Ravesh made her bend forward over an examination table, and put his fingers in her vagina while he also examined her rectum with his fingers during a visit in late 2017, in addition to other inappropriate touching during other visits.

Prosecutor Mark Kantor presented the Crown’s case with the woman’s testimony Tuesday morning. She took the stand in the afternoon for cross-examination by defence lawyer Marty Minuk.

While the woman had difficulty remembering exact dates of her examinations — which included at least four visits, according to medical records presented in court — Minuk challenged her on the frequency of those visits.

The woman testified she saw Ravesh several times for treatment for abdominal pain, painful defecation and a vaginal infection, but she said the vaginal infection wasn’t improving.

“You are suspicious of a doctor fondling your vagina, but you go back to the same doctor?” Minuk asked.

The woman said Ravesh told her the vaginal penetration was part of the rectal exam. “I didn’t understand,” she said.

Details of the examinations the woman had during the second and third visits were not agreed upon: she said she had a vaginal examination and then a rectal examination; Minuk said the examinations were in the reverse order.

The time of day for the woman’s fourth and final visit to Ravesh was not agreed upon. She said the visit happened in the morning; the defence said it happened in the afternoon.

Court heard she sent her boyfriend a text, obtained by Winnipeg police and documented to have happened at 2:26 p.m., the day of her last visit with Ravesh. She said she was on the bus for two hours after her morning appointment, travelling to the University of Manitoba from Elmwood, and texted him while she was on the second bus.

Defence suggested the text was sent immediately after the appointment, which ended with a prescription begin given around 1:42 p.m.

At one point, as Minuk questioned the woman about the length of her bus trip, Justice Ken Champagne chastised the lawyer’s delivery of questions saying: “There’s no need to be abrasive.”

The trial continues Wednesday with at least two more complainants expected to testify; one via video link.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca