Abstract

In recent years, the #MeToo social movement has focused attention on powerful men who have abused their position to sexually groom and to violate others. The impact in the media and film industries, and among ‘celebrities’, has received particular attention, but ripples from the movement have extended across corporations, education and politics, among other sectors. This has led to some criminal and civil cases being brought by victims and public falls from grace. Our interest, however, is in a particular class of powerful people: professionals. Specifically, those who act as expert confidantes and healers (doctors, psychiatrists, religious leaders) and those who provide protection and justice (police, judges and barristers, military, politicians).

Traditionally, such individuals have enjoyed public confidence and esteem. Indeed, the trusted status and social licence of these professionals ‒ often compounding existing privileges of gender, ethnicity, class and education, which enabled their access to the professions in the first place ‒ affords them a certain level of social power.