A Calgary doctor is facing a sexual assault charge after a former patient came forward claiming inappropriate sexual conduct during several counselling sessions.
Police received a complaint from a woman on March 15, 2016 claiming that her former therapist sexually assaulted her over several months.
The woman and her husband were attending marriage counselling from December 2012 to March 2013 at an office in the 200 block of 5th Avenue S.W.
The woman, in her 30s, continued to attend the sessions by herself in July 2013 and in December the therapist allegedly started asking her inappropriate sexual questions and sexually assaulted her. She claims the assaults continued during appointments until April 2014.
“In my experience, in investigations that are very similar with sexual victims is, there’s a grooming aspect. And with that grooming aspect is a relationship and it can be kind of a warped relationship, and especially with this particular case, this gentleman is in a position of trust and so he’s formed that trust and over time, over the grooming, that’s what’s occurred,” said CPS Staff Sergeant Steve Lorne. “Our concern is the fact that, there may be other victims, this may not be the single victim, because of that predatory type of tendencies, especially with a person who is in a position of trust.”
Dr. Johannes Gerhardus Kilian, 76, a registered Social Worker therapist in Calgary, is charged with sexual assault.
Police say Kilian was still practicing up until he was arrested and he is expected to appear in court on May 11, 2016.
“He’s not known to police and he is 76 years old, he’s been a doctor for quite a while. He’s been practicing in this province, that we’re aware of, he’s been in Canada for 11 years, so we are reaching out to the public, if there are any other victims we do encourage them to come forward because we do take this very, very seriously,” said Lorne.
The Calgary Police Service encourages all victims of sexual assault, or any crime, to report to the police by calling the non-emergency line at 403-266-1234, or Crime Stoppers anonymously using any of the following methods:
TALK: 1-800-222-8477
TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
TEXT: tttTIPS to 274637
