Jane Doe 104 accuses Mark Mulholland of sexual abuse and Providence/Kadlec of ignoring continued red flags

SEATTLE – Jane Doe 104 has filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court against Tri-Cities OB-GYN Mark E. Mulholland, Providence St. Joseph Health and Kadlec Regional Medical Center, alleging sexual abuse.

The case, brought by attorneys Elizabeth Hanley of Schroeter Goldmark & Bender and Tamara Holder of Tamara Holder Law, adds to the surge of legal action from women who say Mulholland abused them under the guise of legitimate medical care.

Jane Doe 104 met Mulholland in 2023 after making an appointment due to concerns regarding pelvic pain and her contraceptive care. According to the lawsuit, Mulholland began the “exam” by lifting the privacy sheet, making eye contact with Ms. Doe and smiling. He then reached under her with both hands and squeezed her buttocks before aggressively shoving his fingers in her vagina. Mulholland performed such an aggressive “exam” that she cried out in pain, even causing the nurse in the room to notice.

At the end of that same visit, as Mulholland was preparing Jane Doe 104 for an upcoming surgery, he told her through her Spanish-language interpreter: “Everything is ready for your surgery.” He then turned to the interpreter and added in English, “I’m excited to meet with your vagina again,” and instructed the interpreter to not translate his words to Jane Doe 104. Although she relied on interpreter services, Doe 104 understood enough English to know exactly what he said.

“Mulholland’s conduct shows a shocking abuse of trust, first in the exam room, then in manipulating an interpreter in an attempt to conceal sexual comments,” said Hanley. “Patients have the right to safe and respectful care. Providence and Kadlec utterly failed that responsibility.”

Holder added, “This case highlights that institutions still protect their doctors over their female patients. These initial complaints only scratch the surface of what we already know; rest assured, we are seeking liability from the bottom all the way to the top of Providence.”

Jane Doe 104’s lawsuit accuses the defendants of sex-based discrimination, failure to protect patients and institutional negligence.

If you or someone you know has information about Mark Mulholland or the institutions where he worked, please reach out as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the amount of time to come forward is limited.

To learn more about the firms’ work representing survivors of abuse and discrimination, visit: sgb-law.com or tamaraholderlaw.com.