“The feeling of humiliation and abuse still haunts me even after two months,” said the 43-year-old housewife and mother of a 17-year-old boy.

Badia was admitted into hospital on June 14 where a day later she was seen by a neurologist. Although he had a nurse with him, the nurse was occupied with other things. The doctor, who was of an Asian nationality, then began inspecting her without giving any warning.

“All of a sudden he came from behind, pulled my abaya up and shoved his bare hands underneath my clothes, unhooking my bra and working his hands forward toward my breasts,” said Badia.

Her reaction to what she described as inhuman and vulgar was to pull away and wrap herself in her clothes as she was under the influence of heavy painkillers that slowed her down.

The doctor returned the next day along with the nurse and asked how she felt, even though she had only received half an hour of physiotherapy and was still under painkillers.

The doctor then asked the nurse to bring him examining gloves, which he did not use the day before, said Badia. She added that the minute the nurse left the room he pulled the curtain half-shut and pointed at her breasts and private parts asking in a low voice if she feels anything there.

“I felt so violated and disgusted and expressed this by scolding him, refusing that he touches me, and requesting that the nurse stands at the bedside,” said Badia.

At that point, the physician started offering excuses, wore gloves and used a throat-examining spatula to examine her back. He then said she would be discharged the same day, does not need any further tests or X-rays, and only requires intensive physiotherapy.

Using a wheelchair because of the pain, Badia went to the hospital’s investigating committee. “The committee said it is not possible that this could have been done by a well-known person who has been in the Kingdom for over 30 years. They asked why I did not react in a more aggressive manner and did not stand up for myself,” said Badia, adding that she feels she has been wronged and is disappointed.

Three weeks then passed during which the hospital failed to take any further action. Despite her physical pain, as the hospital made no physiotherapy appointments for her, Badia visited the National Society for Human Rights in the Eastern Province that has written to the Health Affairs Department and is still awaiting a response.

As time passes, Badia fears the case will be left idle and then forgotten. “If it were an isolated case that I faced alone without any consequences, then I would have left it at it. But he is a physician and the way he dealt with me shows that this might not be the first. I do not want others to undergo what I have gone through,” said Badia, adding that she will continue to seek help from official and nonofficial bodies until justice is done.