Today, 25 November, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. Globally, one in three women have been subjected to gender-based violence at least once in their life. In England and Wales, 6.5 million women have been raped or sexually assaulted since the age of 16. We see misogynistic ideas rising in popularity, particularly among young men. 

This wider societal problem is reflected in the workplace and the medical profession. 13% of women doctors and dentists have been targets of sexual misconduct from patients; this rises to 25% when looking at the experiences of resident doctors. The younger you are, the more likely you are to be targeted. 

All these figures are probably higher in reality, based on reporting and conviction rates being so low.

All employees should work in a sexually safe environment, and it is the responsibility of employers to do all they can to achieve this working environment for their employees. This is why eliminating violence against women is a trade union issue, and as co-chair of the consultants committee I am committed to advocating for changes that create a sexually safe environment for all doctors and medical students.

I have been working with the cross-BMA group on sexual misconduct, which has made improvements to our member services to ensure doctors and medical students get the informed and compassionate support they need. We are working on our outreach, so the BMA is seen as a trusted place to go if you have been a target of sexual misconduct. We are also encouraging witnesses of these incidents to come to the BMA for support, recognising that acting as a witness can be a challenging process to go through alone.

As a trade union we have a unique role in being able to support victims through each stage of the reporting process, and it is a role the BMA takes incredibly seriously. If you are a victim or witness of sexual misconduct and would like to report this to the BMA, please contact us.

Stark findings in surgery

The issue of sexual violence between colleagues is particularly acute in the surgical profession. The Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery (WPSMS) found that 63% of women had been targets of sexual harassment from a colleague, and 30% had been sexually assaulted by a colleague in the past five years. The report’s stark findings have led stakeholders across the health profession to enact changes to put an end to this unacceptable behaviour.

A year on from this report, the WPSMS held a summit to recognise progress and agree on action needed going forward. There is now acknowledgement that sexual misconduct in medicine is a problem, with the issues of institutional hierarchies and dependant relationships in medical training exacerbating factors. The summit recognised where there has been progress, including the launch of the NHS England Sexual Misconduct Policy Framework on the same day.

However, hearing the testimonies of those who have been a target of sexual misconduct and gone on to report it, it’s clear there is much work to be done to support those who both do and don’t choose to report it, including developing anonymous reporting structures, introducing specific training for sexual misconduct investigations, and providing rehabilitation afterwards.

A key step in combating this behaviour in the workplace has been the introduction of the Worker Protection Act, placing a new legal duty on all employers to implement preventative measures to protect staff from sexual harassment. 

Organisational factors

Professor Ros Searle was commissioned by the Professional Standards Authority to undertake research on sexual misconduct in health and social care and found that organisational culture and policies play a powerful role in stopping this behaviour. 

The research identified that this behaviour is enabled by leaders showing a disinterest in the issue and failing to commit to effective punishments for perpetrators. The introduction of high-quality policies and reporting procedures can be an effective action by leaders to prevent the behaviour, and illustrate to employees they take this matter seriously. 

Organisational culture is also a significant factor. Prof Searle’s research found workplaces with high levels of incivility were more likely to include abusive behaviours, as were cultures with prevailing sexist attitudes. The research also found sexual violence to be prevalent in roles where positions of power were held by men, and women could become targeted if they were seen to be entering roles that were considered gendered roles for men. Formal policies and clear and transparent reporting processes were found to be effective deterrents to sexual violence, alongside training for staff. 

Ensuring the workplace is a safe environment that’s free from sexual misconduct is everyone’s responsibility, but for consultants and leaders in particular, it’s important to use our position of power. We can influence those around us to set a safe culture and bring about change to enact policies that will benefit all our colleagues, and our patients.