It's absolutely no doubt that the healthcare sector has opportunities and pathways for anyone and everyone. Especially in the nursing field, with countless different options for furthering your career and education, it's a given why so many have chosen to dive into working in healthcare. However, numerous critical issues have plagued healthcare workers for ages, some since the very beginning. One of these has especially gone on far too long. Although it should never have to be something that nurses and healthcare workers must be concerned about, this issue in question is the acts of sexual abuse against nurses in addition to violence against nurses.
Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Against Nurses
Among countless rising issues and concerns regarding the healthcare world, sexual violence against nurses and sexual harassment in hospitals have been a rising problem, with numerous cases going completely unknown, resulting in little to no vastly scaled changes being made. As a result of the massive scale of abuse against nurses, multiple studies and surveys have been done further to indicate the severity of this crisis in healthcare settings. Within a survey conducted by Nursing Times and Unison, it can be noted that overall, a great majority of nurses have experienced some sexual harassment in the workplace, with a 60.29% out of 2,382 responses to the survey.
Why Does Sexual Abuse Against Nurses Happen?
While pondering people's minds about who would commit these terrible acts, it's crucial to remember that no matter the reason, the blame should never be placed on the victims of these crimes. The act of doing so is more commonly referred to as victim-blaming, which creates shame around victims and makes it increasingly difficult to come out about experiencing these attacks.
As you may understand, sexual harassment and violence against nurses is an incredibly complex problem with no one specific answer, reasoning, or solution. On this note, we know these acts are usually committed by patients rather than co-workers. However, the possibility of harassment from a co-worker is still there and can happen. As for the reasons why these incidents occur, these can be induced by nurse stereotypes, perpetrators desiring power, a lack of understanding of boundaries, and many more, including some reasons we will likely never honestly know. Regardless of reason or experience, we know one thing for sure: we must join together to fight against these crimes against our nurses.
History of Violence and Sexual Harassment in Healthcare
It is sure to come as no surprise to anyone reading that sexual harassment and violence against employees in workplace settings have plagued professions for as long as we can remember. Some of the first known comments made by women regarding sexual harassment in workplace settings can be dated back as far as 1908. Since these women made these statements all this time ago, sexual violence within healthcare has proven to be an unfortunately persistent problem that is empowered by numerous factors and the lack of authority speaking out against these acts.
In addition to this information, a well-known fact in healthcare is that there are numerous settings where healthcare is administered, and nurses are required. As a result, cases such as nursing home abuse, sexual harassment in long-term care settings, and many more can be reported by countless nurses.
Resources for Nurses in Need
Here at Nursa, above all, we care about the safety and well-being of our nurses and healthcare workers, and we are striving to end the crisis of sexual abuse against nurses once and for all. This can only be done with the assistance of all of you reading this. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has put extensive time and research into combating this crisis, and you can join in on the fight against nurse abuse with us. You can learn more about the statistics regarding nurse abuse and how you can join in on the fight on the ANA's page for ending nursing abuse.
If you have experienced workplace abuse or harassment yourself, it is crucial to remember that it is never your fault, and it would be wrong to place yourself on the blame for another individual's choices. Although it may be difficult, we highly encourage speaking out and reporting incidents that you have experienced, and together we can help prevent future crimes from being committed. If you or a loved one requires additional support or resources, be sure to take a look at the Women Against Abuse website for resources and information regarding sexual harassment in the workplace.
