Chapter 4. Communicate Context and Intent
I was filling out a new-patient form online for my doctor’s office when I saw it, sandwiched somewhere between “Do you smoke? and “Has anyone in your family had a stroke?”:
Have you ever been sexually abused or assaulted?
Yes __ No __
That was it: no context, no explanation, no box to tick for, “Well, yes, actually, but it’s a long story from a long time ago, and it’s not why I’m here.” Just a tidy little binary for something that didn’t feel tidy at all.
“So, you were sexually assaulted,” my doctor said partway through our appointment. It wasn’t a question, but she paused expectantly.
“Yes.”
I waited, ...
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