By his own admission, a prominent doctor from the small town of Hampton, Iowa sexually abused seven women who were either his patients or his co-workers. Yet he won’t spend a single day in prison for his crimes.
The victims were women, the judge was a woman, the prosecutor was a woman. Still, not one day will he spend in prison. How can that be? How must his victims feel after courageously testifying against him only to hear him sentenced to probation?
A plea deal was struck, of course, by the prosecutor–Iowa State Assistant Attorney General Susan Krisko. Legally, District Court Judge Colleen Weiland was bound to honor the deal when it was presented in county court on Thursday. All she could do was impose the severest sentence possible, under agreed-upon constraints, as the victims looked on. However, the essence of the bargain was that Dr. Brian J. Hansen would walk free.
Originally, Hansen was charged with eight felonies, two of them for forcible sexual assault. He pled guilty to one charge of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, because he was providing counseling to some of the those he abused. The other seven charges were dropped, although six of the women are listed as victims on the remaining count.
The sentence included five years in prison, which were suspended; a requirement that he remain under court supervision for 10 years after that; registration as a convicted sex offender wherever he lives; participation in a sex offender treatment program; a $7,500 fine; and restitution to the victims in an amount yet to be determined.?To some that might seem enough, but the fact remains that Hansen gets to walk free. His wife and children were with him in court; he is reportedly a wealthy man who will be more than subsisting, even without his medical license; and he was seen laughing and joking with friends and relatives after the sentencing–before he left the courthouse and went home.
His victims, on the other hand, read statements aloud in court describing the devastation he wreaked on their lives–tales of depression, of suicidal thoughts, of the end of a marriage, of nightmares, and emotional distress in their children. A nurse, initials S.L., said:
“The actions of Brian Hansen have greatly affected my life. I have divorced my husband, who I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with… As a patient, when I go to the doctor, I worry about what I say and if they’re going to take that and use that to their advantage.”
Victim J.K. spoke of her feelings of intimidation:
“I knew if I told anyone about this, you’d have me fired. I blew the whistle; somebody had to stop your predatory behaviors.”
Victim A.S. considered suicide. She described the effect on her children:
“They have nightmares that a bad man is coming to get them. I hope today my family will have some peace.”
Judge Weiland praised the women’s courage in speaking out. In ordering Hansen to have zero contact with any of the victims, she said to him:
?This is a small community. You’ll find yourself leaving a lot of activities because of that no contact order.”
And added:
?I’m astounded at the devastation that you brought on your community.?
The devastation IS astounding. His sexual crimes included not only forcible assault, but exposure of his genitals, masturbation, and pornography with which to take his co-workers by surprise and consequently intimidate them. At least one was the recipient of unwelcome sexual overtures through emails and some of the victims reported that there are others, too frightened to come forward.
What is even more astounding, though, is the fact that the predator, laughing and joking after the sentencing, went home with his family to sleep in his own bed. The victims, members of a community of only 4500 people, have to fear running into him every day of their lives…and they went home to their nightmares, and those of their children.
Heidi Nettrour, a friend of one of the victims, stood outside the courthouse with signs of protest. One said:
?Sexual predators belong behind bars, not exam-room doors.”
Her friend asked her to take down the signs, which she did, but Heidi told the Des Moines Register that she was afraid Hansen would escape serious punishment because of his wealth and influence in the community. That was before the sentence was handed down. Afterward, the director of the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Abuse, Elizabeth Barnhill,?wrote this email:
?I am concerned about this being pled down when some of the charges included forcible sexual assault. I wonder if this would have been the case had the defendant not been a doctor. Forcible sexual assault was not intended to be included in the charge of sexual exploitation by therapists. The pattern of actions is egregious and far beyond the intent of that particular statute. … It must have been difficult for the survivors to take a risk in testifying against a professional. I doubt that they expected this outcome.?
Seven brave but frightened women went up against a rich and influential doctor, described as a ‘pillar of the community’. Perhaps there was never any doubt about who would come out on top. Iowa certainly isn’t the only place where women are betrayed through inadequate consequences, but the question needs to be asked of the state, which made the bargain: Do you really call this justice?
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