AVON, Ind. — An Avon chiropractor is facing a civil lawsuit just 2 1/2 months after being charged with rape.
It's the latest filing after other alleged patients of Dr. Roc Byrd came forward, saying he acted inappropriately with them while in his care.
Cornerstone Chiropractic is where some of the 52-year-old chiropractor's former patients say he touched them inappropriately.
"What we know about this kind of sexual abuse, it is very under reported," said Beth White, with the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking.
Court documents filed on Friday now show a civil suit has been brought against Byrd.
A woman claims between 2019 and February of this year that Byrd would compel her to touch his genitals and would intentionally touch her private parts without consent.
"Sexual violence is a crime of power and control. It's not about sex, it's not about sexual desire — it's about power and control. And in the health care setting, patients have no control and no power," White said.
In September, Byrd was charged with rape. Since then, charges of battery and sexual battery have also been brought against him.
His sexual battery charge dates back to 2018.
"The power imbalance is so significant that you feel like people will not believe you, you feel like you read it wrong, or it wasn't really true and then the embarrassment of that," White said.
And if there are more patients out there who choose not to step forward, White said it's not for us to judge.
"We have to stop blaming victims and evaluating their behavior based on what you think you would do because I'm telling you, trauma makes you do things you may or may not expect to do. And we have to stop blaming victims — that's the bottom line for me," White said.
If you are a victim of sexual assault and need help, you're urged to call 1-800-656-4673.