Betray ethics, betray trust

doi:10.1136/bmj.b2191

Published 1 June 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b2191
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2191

Letters

Rules of conscience

Betray ethics, betray trust

The harm caused by the interrogation methods described by Popeand Gutheil goes far beyond the considerable damage, sometimesfatal, of methods commonly understood to be torture.¹ When psychologistsor doctors design and help to inflict such methods, they engagein three betrayals. They betray the trust and human rights ofthose who are tortured. They betray fundamental professionalethics.² And they betray the trust society places in such professionals.³

The harm caused by acts that are physically, sexually, or psychologicallydamaging—for example, child abuse—is greater whena trusted figure is involved.⁴ The Orwellian transformationof trusted professionals into those who use their training andskills to design and help inflict methods whose reality is maskedby euphemisms such as "harsh" or "extreme" can interfere withthe ability to reason realistically.⁵

The trauma that occurs when professionals betray individuals,fundamental ethics, and society affects us all.

Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2191

Jennifer J Freyd, professor¹

¹ University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1227, USA

jjf{at}uoregon.edu

Competing interests: None declared.

References

Pope KS, Gutheil TG. Contrasting ethical policies of physicians and psychologists concerning interrogation of detainees. BMJ 2009;38:b1653. (30 April.)
Miles SH. Oath betrayed: America’s torture doctors. 2nd ed. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2009.
Gallagher HG. By trust betrayed: patients, physicians, and the license to kill in the Third Reich. New York: Henry Holt, 1990.
Freyd JJ, Klest B, Allard CB. Betrayal trauma: relationship to physical health, psychological distress, and a written disclosure intervention. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation 2005;6:83-104.[CrossRef]
Zurbriggen EL. Lies in a time of threat: betrayal blindness and the 2004 US Presidential Election. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy 2005;5:189-96.[CrossRef]