A college in Florida is facing a lawsuit after two students claim they were forced to perform vaginal probes on each other as part of their medical course.
Two young women, known only as "Jane Does" to protect their identities, say they faced retaliation if they complained about the transvaginal procedures. The lawsuit claims staff at Valencia College told students "they could find another school if they did not wish to be probed", and made suggestive comments during the probes, including telling one student she should be an escort girl, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Chris Dillingham, attorney for the students who were on the sonography program, told WFTV: "I think any rational person would look at something like this and be distressed.
"It occurred once a week while my clients were in the program. They said they'd be blacklisted [if they did not comply]. Their grades would be reduced."
According to CNN, the lawsuit details what the students were required to carry out: "A student would place a condom over the probe and then apply generous amounts of lubrication to the probe.
"In some cases, the student would have to sexually 'stimulate' plaintiffs in order to facilitate inserting the probe into plaintiffs' vaginas.
"[The women] experienced discomfort and embarrassment each time they had to endure this forced probing of their sexual organs."
The college insists it has not been served a lawsuit, but issued a statement regarding the college's sonography programme: "The use of volunteers -- including fellow students -- for medical sonography training is a nationally accepted practice. Valencia College's sonography program has upheld the highest standards with respect to ultrasound scanning for educational purposes, including voluntary participation and professional supervision by faculty in a controlled laboratory setting.
"Nonetheless, we continue to review this practice and others to ensure that they are effective and appropriate for the learning environment."