Doctor barred for sexually exploiting vulnerable woman
A doctor who inappropriately touched a woman who was a victim of sexual assault has had his medical license revoked.
Sharwan Narayan massaged the woman’s leg, examined her breasts without her consent, and manipulated her nipples during the appointment in February 2020.
A month later the GP massaged her leg again before asking questions about her sex life and claiming he could teach her to orgasm.
The woman told the GP that she was a sexual abuse survivor who lost her home in a bushfire.
The 45-year-old committed a serious breach of trust by exploiting the vulnerable woman, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal said in an order canceling her medical registration on Monday.
Dr Narayan was working under court-imposed supervision conditions in 2023 for sexually explicit remarks made to another female patient and two colleagues in 2019 and 2020.
“I dreamed about you last night… and I had to take a cold shower,” he told the 31-year-old patient.
He also suggested having sex with a colleague on a pile of chairs and having another colleague come to his house to “relieve midnight stress.”
The court found in June 2023 that the sexual abuse by the Fijian-born doctor, who had already been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder due to events during his childhood, stemmed from extreme work stress and personal insecurities about relationships.
Her registration was completely revoked on Monday after the court found that she had failed to disclose hearings on her massage complaint to her employer.
At the same time, some patients expressed their dissatisfaction with Dr Narayan.
“We have serious concerns about Dr. Narayan’s level of insight, particularly regarding the connection between stress and its impact on his performance at work,” the court wrote.
The GP unsuccessfully argued that he should still be allowed to practice under the same supervisory restrictions.
He said he had completed a number of mentoring programs since 2023, including the Respect Me program run by Relationships Australia.
He will be allowed to review the cancellation of his registration in January 2027.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Resolution Support Service 1800 211 028
