Writer's Fallout Shelter

I've encountered a slight problem that I'm hoping this group can help me with...

I'm writing a story about a young girl (17) who is admitted into an insane asylum in the 1950s (it's a fantasy story, by the way). State hospitals were very lax about their procedures and care back then. The orderlies and attendents cared very little for the patients; they just wanted a job. And the higher ups did little to improve things.

The issue I have is whether or not repeating instances of sexual assault/harassment/abuse is a cliche plot device. It happened in real life, yes, especially when the patients were too medicated to realize what was going on. Currently, I have her suspecting an attraction from a male orderly before the staff increases her medication. When she's heavily medicated (and experiencing memory loss from the electro-shock they eventually administer), she realizes what's going on in her lucid moments and then afterwards when the medication wears off and memories begin to seep in.

I'm just wondering if the device is an easy-out? I do want the readers to encounter a couple scenes with an "oh god..." reaction, but would that particular device be too cliche?