A North Vancouver emergency room doctor is suing a colleague, alleging he sexually assaulted her after a work party where she was intoxicated but didn’t give her consent. Dr. Averil Ivsins is suing Dr. Jonathan McGrogan, an ER doctor at Lions Gate Hospital.
Both were part of an East Vancouver restaurant gathering on Nov. 8, 2023, where alcohol was served. According to Ivsins’ lawsuit, she was visibly intoxicated by 11 p.m., something she claims McGrogan acknowledged during the night.
She alleges that after leaving the restaurant, a group, including McGrogan, went to another bar before she and McGrogan took an Uber to her building. She claims he withheld her keys and allegedly assaulted her. She later reported bruising and injuries and insisted she did not consent and was too impaired to do so.
McGrogan denies the allegations, saying their encounter was consensual and happened in the Uber, building lobby, and elevator. He also denies preventing her from leaving or intimidating her. He claims Ivsins initially thanked him via text for getting her home, though days later, she emailed to to say she was upset and requested him to stay away at work, which he did. The lawsuit also names Vancouver Coastal Health, which organized and funded the work party. Speaking to GlobalBC, Dr. Ivsins described the experience as ‘traumatizing’ and a daily struggle. According to the news report, police investigated the incident. However, the Prosecution Service chose not to bring any charge.
