Expert assists Utah prosecutors in reviewing evidence of alleged sexual assault against gynecologist David Broadbent

It has been more than two years since the first of 49 women reported to Provo police that David Broadbent sexually harassed them during exams.

Utah County prosecutors will soon enlist the help of a nurse specializing in sexual assault examinations as they decide whether to file charges against a Utah gynecologist accused by dozens of women of sexual assault.

At least 49 women have reported to Provo police that David Broadbent sexually abused them during exams. Prosecutors have been considering whether to file charges for 18 months.

Many of the women claim that Broadbent inappropriately touched their breasts, vaginas and rectums during exams – often without warning or explanation and in ways that hurt them and made them feel abused. Other former patients, as well as many of the women who went to police, have also filed lawsuits against Broadbent or the hospitals where he worked. In total, nearly 120 women have made allegations of sexual harassment in civil lawsuits.

Earlier this week, the Utah County Commission approved a grant of up to $6,000 for nurse Susan Chasson to review evidence presented to prosecutors, conduct research and advise prosecutors on the “standard of care” provided during a regular gynecologist appointment.

Chasson is a registered nurse who conducts examinations after someone reports a sexual assault. She is currently the statewide program director for the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program. She also works with the Utah County Children’s Justice Center, according to her resume included in a draft contract.

Utah Assistant District Attorney Tim Taylor, the prosecutor’s office spokesman, said they expect Chasson to begin reviewing the records immediately, but he had no estimate of how long that review would take. He added that prosecutors believe “this is a necessary step to ensure we are properly reviewing these cases.”

Broadbent has agreed to stop practicing medicine while the criminal investigation continues. In a separate civil case, Broadbent’s lawyers have said the allegations of sexual assault against him are “without merit.”

It has taken police and prosecutors more than two years to get to this point. Provo police records show the first woman reported Broadbent in March 2022. Since then, dozens more reports have come in as news of the civil lawsuits filed against him spread.

In partnership with ProPublica, The Salt Lake Tribune interviewed 14 of the women who went to police, all of whom were Spanish-speaking Mexican immigrants who reported Broadbent between March 2022 and April 2023. The interviews revealed that many of these women faced delays, language barriers and insensitive questioning when going to police.

Two women said they asked the Mexican consulate for help with their complaints. Five of the 14 women said police turned them away at least once because no one at the police station spoke Spanish.

Those women are also suing two hospitals where Broadbent had privileges, saying they knew about his alleged misconduct and did nothing. Their civil attorney, who has twice written letters to Utah District Attorney Jeff Gray urging him to file amendments, did not respond to an email request for comment for this story.

Broadbent is also being sued by 94 other women in a separate case. But in September 2022, a judge dismissed their lawsuit when he ruled that it fell under medical malpractice law rather than a civil sexual assault lawsuit, meaning the filing deadlines were shorter. The women have appealed the ruling to the Utah Supreme Court and have been waiting seven months for its decision.