“Unfortunately I also paid the price”, Marine Ltemporel talks about sexual violence in hospital

“Unfortunately I also paid the price”, Marine Ltemporel talks about sexual violence in hospital

The doctor and former Miss France have returned to a “particularly tiring” surgical internship and regretand “not having said anything” at the time. Today Marine Ltemporel is certain: to make things happen collectively, we must free our voices.

“Unfortunately I also paid the price”. On Instagram, the doctor and Miss France 2013 Marine Ltemporel spoke to each other on Monday 22 April to take turns testifying about the climate of sexism and sexual violence in the hospital. After infectious disease specialist Karine Lacombe’s revelations in mid-April about emergency physician Patrick Pelloux, whom she accuses of sexual and moral harassment, the stories poured into social networks. Some personalities, such as former minister Roselyne Bachelot, have spoken out to denounce these mechanisms, which still persist in healthcare facilities.

We salute the courage of those who report

Aware of the difficulties faced by those who dare to speak out, Marine Ltemporel began her video by saying thank you “all the healthcare workers who witness what happens in the hospital corridors” to break the silence that had reigned until then.

During her studies, the doctor says that she too was a victim of this oppressive climate. “I remember a particularly grueling surgical internship, in which I was one of the few women”. Although already elected Miss France, Marine Ltemporel was still very young, she explains. “I received dozens and dozens of dirty jokes, questions about my privacy, wandering hands and really inappropriate behavior.”


She then admits that she regrets her silence at the time. “I’m a little sorry that I didn’t say anything, that I didn’t know what to do”. Because today she is certain of it; To make things happen, you have to talk. “About what happened before, but we also need to talk about what’s happening now,” and that it also affects children, insists Marine Ltemporel.

Countering the trivialization of sexism in hospitals

The doctor also denounces the way in which this violence has been completely trivialized. «It was said that we had to accept these “usual”, “normal” behaviors attributed to former doctors of the older generation». A generational pseudo-argument which in reality served to fuel the impunity of the attackers and to make it even more difficult to report them without fear of jeopardizing one’s career. “You shouldn’t cause a stir in the hospital if you want to validate your internship” ; this was the unspoken rule in effect at the time Marine Ltemporel was doing her surgical training.

However, the young woman wants to be optimistic. Mentalities are changing and sanctions exist. “Today it is true that there are more and more women in positions of responsibility, heads of departments, directors. And I hope this will help reduce, or even eliminate, sexism in hospitals.”


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Source: Madmoizelle

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