One in three female surgeons have been sexually assaulted in the UK public healthcare system

Across the Channel, it is said that this investigation will mark the beginning of the #MeToo intervention. Tuesday 12 September, a new study carried out by the University of Exeter and published by British Journal of Surgery revealed that nearly one in three female surgeons work for the National Health Service (Britain’s public health system) has been sexually assaulted over the past five years.

“An unsafe working environment for professionals and their patients”

Among those interviewed, 30% of female surgeons reported having suffered sexual violence, 29% reported having suffered ” unwanted physical advances » at work, over 40% have received unsolicited comments about their body and 38% have been forced to make dirty jokes at work. Eleven cases of rape were also reported.

Nearly 90% of women reported witnessing inappropriate sexual behavior in the past five years. 81% of men interviewed gave the same answer.

The report concludes: “ Sexual misconduct is common and appears to be uncontrolled in the surgical environment due to deeply hierarchical structure and an imbalance of power between the sexes. This creates an unsafe workspace, both for healthcare workers and their patients. “.

Last May, an investigation by Guardian/British medical journal it previously revealed that more than 35,600 incidents of a sexual nature had been recorded in NHS hospitals in the UK over the past five years. In the wake of these revelations, the General medical advice had invited doctors to demonstrate” zero tolerance » regarding sexual harassment.

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