Netflix viewers have shared their “disgust” after watching new documentary Our Father, about the actions of American fertility doctor Donald Cline.
The film, released on Wednesday (11 May), introduces Jacoba Ballard who discovered she had seven half-siblings after taking an at-home DNA test.
With some further research, the group discovered that their parents had each used Indianapolis-based Cline as their fertility doctor in the 1970s and 1980s.
It emerged that Cline had covertly inseminated many of his female patients with his own sperm without the parents’ knowledge or consent.
As a result, he’d biologically fathered 94 children in the process.
Since the documentary feature launched on the streaming platform, viewers have wasted no time in sharing their opinions online.
“Watching Our Father on Netflix and I am so disgusted!” one viewer said. “It breaks my heart to see how these poor women were violated by someone they entrusted with such a sacred journey in their lives. How sick!”
Others expressed their disappointment for the lack of justice given to victims of Cline’s actions, as he was punished with a fine and the loss of his medical licence.
After deeming the film to be “one of the most disturbing things I've ever watched”, a viewer tweeted: “The fact that this man got away with this for so long, and after ALL OF IT COMING OUT, only got fined $500 and lost his medical license?! That judge should be ashamed of themselves, what a slap in the face!”
Another referred to the documentary’s revelation that 45 doctors had been found to have inseminated their patients without significant consequence.
They wrote: "I cannot believe how unregulated this area of doctoring is or was. How could 45 doctors illegally inseminate women and get away with it. This isn't consensual, it's a violation and sexual assault. I feel so sad for these siblings man."
Our Father is currently streaming on Netflix.
