Just like in any industry, sexual harassment unfortunately happens in the healthcare industry – whether at hospitals, doctors’ offices, or other care facilities.
For decades, nurses have been reporting instances of sexual harassment in the workplace. Whether that harassment comes from other nurses, doctors, patients, or others, there are many people coming in and out of these facilities at all times, so there are unfortunately a lot of opportunities for harassment.
Keep reading to learn more about what sexual harassment looks like in the nursing industry.
1. Sexual Harassment is extremely prevelant in the nursing industry
According to a survey, 62% of female nurses and 51% of male nurses report experiencing sexual harassment at work.
In fact, the healthcare industry ranks 4th for industries with the most EEOC sexual harassment reports. There are many reasons why healthcare may be so high on the list. For starters, the industry has inherently hierarchical roles and is male-dominated, which can lead to people taking advantage of power. Additionally, because healthcare jobs often involve a lot of physical contact between nurses and patients, it can be easy to let small transgressions slide. The field of medicine is intense and hectic, and unfortunately many medical students are taught not to make waves in the workplace.
2. Sexual Harassment goes unreported
Only 29% of female nurses and 17% of male nurses report harassment to their employer, according to one survey.
There are many reasons that someone might not report harassment. For starters, many employees – in all industries – are often confused or unsure if something even qualifies as harassment. In fact the EEOC estimates that only about 6-13% of all sexual harassment victims file a complaint. Victims often downplay the harassment they experience, and fear that they won’t be believed or that their concerns will be dismissed. Additionally, many employees fear retaliation – just because it’s illegal, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Many employees report having their hours decreased or being left out of important projects after filing a report.
3. Not all sexual harassment is physical or verbal
29% of respondents in a survey reported experiencing non-verbal or visual harassment at work, such as winking, inappropriate gestures, or flashing. One other lesser known category of sexual harassment is psychological harassment. This is any type of repeated harassment that causes stress and anxiety, such as constant requests for social meetings or even marriage proposals.
4. Some sexual harassment comes from patients’ friends or family
While most sexual harassment towards nurses comes from patients or fellow staff, one survey found that 19% of nurses experienced harassment from patients’ loved ones. The majority of perpetrators still appear to be patients, with 58% of nurses reporting sexual harassment from patients.
5. Work performance and satisfaction are directly related to sexual harassment incidents
According to a study, 56% of people who have not experienced sexual harassment report job satisfaction. This compares to the 39% of men and 48% of women who have experienced sexual harassment and still feel satisfied with their jobs. More importantly, sexual harassment can greatly affect mental health. One study in Germany found that sexual harassment in the healthcare industry affects both the mental and physical well-being of victims.
These facts and statistics show that not only has sexual harassment has been a problem in the healthcare industry for a while, but it continues to happen. These issues must be addressed through policies in the workplace and in the government to protect our nurses and healthcare employees from unwanted and illegal behavior.