Last week, a man plead guilty in the Townsville Magistrates Court to assault occasioning bodily harm. He was ordered to pay compensation and put on probation. No conviction was recorded. He was supported by five letters of recommendation, including one from an Associate Professor at James Cook University College of Medicine, where he is currently a student.
You might be forgiven for thinking that the crime was a minor one, given the support of his Associate Professor and the relative lightness of the penalty. In actuality, the descriptions of the incident paints a disturbing image of intentional and brutally pre-meditated violence.
The man cornered his then-girlfriend in the bathroom during a JCU event and repeatedly punched her in the face. She bled from the mouth. He took a selfie. He told her to go home so that no one saw her injuries. In her victim impact statement, the woman described the life-shattering effects of the assault, her ongoing trauma, and the irreversible harm her then-partner had done to her psyche.
Nevertheless, a conviction would ruin this young man’s prospects of obtaining a Blue Card – in turn, ruining his chances of becoming a doctor. Never mind that the Blue Card screening process exists for the sole purpose of protecting people from those with a history of unacceptable behaviour. Her life might have been shattered, but there will be no lasting effects on his – think of his prospects. As one Townsville local put it, why should a man’s life be ruined for doing something that should rightly ruin his life?
This case caught my attention for two reasons.
First, it is eerily reminiscent of The People v Turner, the 2016 United States case where Brock Turner pleaded guilty to raping Chanel Miller (then, Emily Doe) as she lay unconscious behind a dumpster. In her memoir, Know My Name, Miller describes how Turner was sentenced to a mere six months in prison, after the Santa Clara judge who heard the case made comments about Turner’s bright academic and swimming career. Turner was supported by letters from Standford academics.
Second, I grew up in Townsville, next door to the JCU College of Medicine. It is easily one of the most competitive medical schools in Australia, and I am proud to know so many of its stellar graduates. This case is a tumour on its otherwise healthy reputation as a world leader in tropical and rural health. But JCU seems to know that, too. Shortly after the media furore on Friday, College of Medicine dean Sarah Larkins released a statement referring to a “negative media story” involving a student. She reiterated that there is “no place for any form of violence, including domestic and family violence, in medicine or health care.”
But is that a widely held belief in the College of Medicine?
When someone writes a letter of support for a defendant in criminal proceedings, they are required to do so in full knowledge of the allegations. I am astonished to learn that a senior academic at the College of Medicine read the allegations and presumably considered it was appropriate to lend his support to this student, someone who might one day be required to take an oath to do no harm.
The study of medicine as an undergraduate is a rare privilege, and JCU has its pick of ambitious, intelligent young people from around Australia. I find it unacceptable that just because a man wants to be a doctor, his community should trip over themselves to facilitate that regardless of his ethics or moral worthiness. With no conviction recorded, the door is open for this man to enter the medical profession.
Early this week, after significant outcry from the local medical profession in North Queensland, JCU announced that the man has been suspended from study pending a formal review of his suitability to continue training as a medical student.
I urge JCU to give deep consideration as to whether it is appropriate to let him continue his studies. I don’t want to run into him in a few years, in the cold confines of a GP office, alone.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit http://www.ntv.org.au.