Dr. Shock
August 24, 2015 11:21 AM Subscribe
The Walrus has published an article entitled "Dr. Shock:
How an apartheid-era psychiatrist went from torturing gay soldiers in South Africa to sexually abusing patients in Alberta." "Dr. Shock" is Aubrey Levin, a psychiatrist currently serving a five-year prison term for sexual assault on three male patients. Prior to arriving in Canada, Levin was a colonel and psychiatrist for the apartheid-era South African Defence Force (SADF), which
used drugs, electric shock torture and forcible gender reassignment surgery in "attempts to cure homosexual conscripts."
Levin oversaw Ward 22, a unit at the Voortrekkerhoogte military hospital, and later Greefswald, a remote military detention camp.
Some of Levin's actions under the apartheid regime are detailed in a report entitled The aVersion Project: Human rights abuses of gays and lesbians in the South African Defence Force by health workers during the apartheid era (pdf.)
"Levin goes unnamed in its pages," the Walrus piece notes, "because the terms of its funding forced the compilers to refer to him as the “Psychiatrist” or the “Colonel.” But he exists between the lines as its open secret, its Baal."
In 1995, Levin fled South Africa for Canada as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission began investigating apartheid-era abuses. In 1997 and 1998, he would be granted a license to practice medicine in Saskatchewan, and then Alberta. He would eventually be charged with sexually assaulting male patients in Alberta in 2010.
He was convicted of the charges in 2013, and began serving his prison sentence in 2014 after exhausting his appeals.
During his trial, Levin's wife, Erica, would be charged and later convicted for attempting to bribe a juror.
Gordon Torr was a young conscript who was sent to Greefswald for drug use. In 2014, he published a novel entitled Kill Yourself and Count to 10, which is based on his experience there.
See also: Timeline: Dr. Aubrey Levin.
Levin oversaw Ward 22, a unit at the Voortrekkerhoogte military hospital, and later Greefswald, a remote military detention camp.
Some of Levin's actions under the apartheid regime are detailed in a report entitled The aVersion Project: Human rights abuses of gays and lesbians in the South African Defence Force by health workers during the apartheid era (pdf.)
"Levin goes unnamed in its pages," the Walrus piece notes, "because the terms of its funding forced the compilers to refer to him as the “Psychiatrist” or the “Colonel.” But he exists between the lines as its open secret, its Baal."
In 1995, Levin fled South Africa for Canada as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission began investigating apartheid-era abuses. In 1997 and 1998, he would be granted a license to practice medicine in Saskatchewan, and then Alberta. He would eventually be charged with sexually assaulting male patients in Alberta in 2010.
He was convicted of the charges in 2013, and began serving his prison sentence in 2014 after exhausting his appeals.
During his trial, Levin's wife, Erica, would be charged and later convicted for attempting to bribe a juror.
Gordon Torr was a young conscript who was sent to Greefswald for drug use. In 2014, he published a novel entitled Kill Yourself and Count to 10, which is based on his experience there.
See also: Timeline: Dr. Aubrey Levin.
what the actual fuck
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:13 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:13 PM on August 24, 2015
Well, this demonstrates the importance of proper hiring practices.
posted by orange swan at 12:23 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by orange swan at 12:23 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I don't know if it's a lack of interest from the media or still too soon, but there seems to be a vast reservoir of brutal weirdness remaining from the apartheid regime that has only barely been touched on. The secret atom bomb test with Israel, the stockpiles of quaaludes and MDMA, the remote bush camps and deceptive bureaucracy. It's like everyone accepted "South Africa, racist and brutal to Africans, then Nelson Mandela, now a struggling democracy." when the apartheid regime actually legitimately vied with Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia for insanity and the peccadilloes of it's rule continue to resonate and inform the current struggles of South Africa.
posted by fido~depravo at 3:02 PM on August 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
posted by fido~depravo at 3:02 PM on August 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
I missed linking this interview with RB, the Canadian patient who was "treated" by Levin. His recorded video of Levin's abuse was key to charging and convicting him.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:13 PM on August 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:13 PM on August 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Who the hell thought that a guy who fled his country rather than face charges of torture was a good candidate for a medical license? Do they do *no* background checks?
posted by tavella at 8:28 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by tavella at 8:28 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Who the hell thought that a guy who fled his country rather than face charges of torture was a good candidate for a medical license? Do they do *no* background checks?
No. They rely on self-reporting, and horrifyingly, both the University of Calgary and the licensing board ignored rumors and accusations against Levin during the 12 years he was practicing and teaching. The Timeline link in the post goes into more detail about the red flags which were ignored.
posted by zarq at 9:32 AM on August 25, 2015
No. They rely on self-reporting, and horrifyingly, both the University of Calgary and the licensing board ignored rumors and accusations against Levin during the 12 years he was practicing and teaching. The Timeline link in the post goes into more detail about the red flags which were ignored.
posted by zarq at 9:32 AM on August 25, 2015
mandolin conspiracy, thanks very much for this thoroughly researched post.
posted by zarq at 9:34 AM on August 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by zarq at 9:34 AM on August 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
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used drugs, electric shock torture and forcible gender reassignment surgery in "attempts to cure homosexual conscripts."
reaction formation much?
posted by jayder at 11:36 AM on August 24, 2015