The former star sexologist of the show If we loved each other Louise Sigouin, pleaded guilty to all the counts against her Tuesday morning during a hearing before the disciplinary council of the Order of sexologists of Quebec. The two parties agreed to submit a joint proposal for a sanction, namely a suspension of up to 6 months, a fine of $14,000 and the payment of expert fees, in particular, approximately $21,000.
Louise Sigouin was facing two complaints filed against her in the spring of 2022 after more than two years of investigation by the syndic of the professional order, who had access to all the recordings of the show, including segments never aired.
“I was very surprised to find that all of the consultations filmed between Louise Sigouin and the 28 candidates were entered and consulted by the Order [des sexologues] as part of this investigation. It represents colossal viewing work, lasting several hundred hours. I have the feeling that the order has done a rigorous and thorough job in this file. I find it reassuring to know that the public is thus protected, ”clarified to the To have to Jean-Philippe Caron, a former candidate for the first season of If we loved each other present at the hearing.
In April 2022, The duty collected the testimonies of four participants reality tv If we loved each other who felt that Louise Sigouin had failed in her ethical obligations to make “good TV”.
Louise Sigouin chose to plead guilty to the seven charges that were at the heart of a first complaint filed by the order for all of the 28 participants of the three seasons of If we loved each otherbroadcast on TVA.
In particular, Louise Sigouin is accused of “failing to safeguard her professional independence and placing herself in a conflict of interest” and “having practiced the profession in a way that was likely to undermine the honor and dignity of the latter, which is also likely to break the public’s confidence in it”. Mme Sigouin also acknowledges not having respected the principle of “free and informed consent of its clients” and not having “ensure that their consent remains free and informed throughout the professional relationship”.
She also contravened the ethical rules of the profession of sexologist regarding the secrecy of confidential information. “He was accused of not having recognized the right of his clients to revoke their consent at any time to the dissemination of information protected by professional secrecy concerning them, of having failed to personally obtain prior written authorization specifying the use subsequent information during an interview or an activity, but also for not having provided for the terms of revocation of the authorization and destruction of the recordings”, specifies the lawyer of the trustee, Ms.e Veronique Brouillette.
The Order of Sexologists of Quebec also accuses Mme Sigouin for not having respected his civil liability by never having taken note of the contracts of his clients with the production, while the latter waived their recourse against the former sex therapist.
The ex-sex therapist also pleaded guilty to not “having shown loyalty to four clients” and to “not having sufficient knowledge and understanding of the facts, by failing to clearly identify the reasons for consultation or customer needs.
In the client files of If we loved each other 1, 2 and 3, there is no information on the development of an assessment to establish an intervention plan according to the specific needs of clients. The respondent explained that the assessment essentially took place during the selection of candidates. “I look a little at the potential they have to take the approach, it’s always a little the same thing”, indicates the document presented jointly by the two parties, read during the hearing.
“According to professional opinion, this does not correspond to what is expected of a professional assessment. […] The respondent did not make a specific intervention plan intended for each of the clients, but a predetermined intervention plan according to the needs of the production”, is it also specified.
Guilty in a second complaint
Louise Sigouin also entered a guilty plea in the context of a second complaint filed against her, namely three counts concerning more specifically three of her clients in the context of reality TV.
The Ordre des sexologues du Québec criticizes him for not having sought to establish and maintain a relationship of mutual trust with them, and for having acted contrary to the rules of the art and the standards on “the quality of the relationship established with clients, the quality of interventions with them and the relationship with them”.
As part of the investigation conducted by the trustee, Ms.me Sigouin also admitted to having worn an earpiece without his customers knowing about it. The production could thus descend on the set and ask questions to the clients of the ex-sex therapist, directly or via the headset, according to the syndic’s investigation. Thus, “the Respondent did not inform its clients that it was in a position of conflict of interest”, is stated in the joint agreement presented by the two parties before the Disciplinary Council.
The President of the Disciplinary Board expressed concerns about the joint sanction proposal presented during the hearing. “Are there going to be other seasons? Will the public understand that Mr.me Sigouin is not a member of the Order? “She wondered, recalling that a 6-month suspension would only be theoretical since she is no longer registered there – at her request – since May 2022. Louise Sigouin’s lawyer, Ms.e Nicholas St-Jacques, clarified during the hearing that his client does not intend to become a member of the Ordre des sexologues du Québec again.
The Disciplinary Board has 90 days to render its decision.
Present at the hearing, Louise Sigouin did not wish to comment. For its part, TVA, the broadcaster of the show If we loved each otherdid not respond to our interview request.