Half of nurses report having been victims of sexist and sexual violence (SSG) in the course of their work, the perpetrator being a patient, a caregiver, a visitor or a superior, according to a survey by the Order of Nurses published on Wednesday.
Questioned in the wake of the #Metoo hospital, a wave of testimonies that occurred in the spring in the health sector, 21,000 nurses - public sector, private or independent employees - responded from September 13 to 29, including 12% men, constituting a "fairly representative" cohort of the profession, indicated the president of the Order, Sylvaine Maziere-Tauran, during a press conference.
Among them, some 49% of respondents, or 53% women and 24% men, said they had already been victims of at least one type of VSS, some reporting several.
Thus, 39% of those questioned were subjected to “inappropriate comments”, 21% to “sexist insults” (outrageous proposals, homophobic remarks, mockery, etc.), 4% to sexual assault and 0.13% to rape.
Four out of ten say they have been subjected to the abuse “on several occasions” and 6% “on a regular basis”.
The vast majority of victims accuse another health professional (47% of respondents, several answers possible) or a patient (60%) but it could be a visitor (26%), another nurse (15%) or even an administrative manager (3%) or hierarchical manager (14%).
The facts often had an impact on health and private life, gave rise to a feeling of insecurity at work (37% of respondents), modified the relationship to work in terms of motivation or absenteeism (14%) or even caused a change of activity (12%).
After VSS, 38% of the victims declared "not having taken any action" mainly for "fear of repercussions" on their career or of "not being heard". Only 2% filed a complaint.
The majority of victims feel that they do not know enough about their rights and the steps to take.
After a "#Metoo health more focused on hospitals", the survey shows that "liberal professionals are also victims" and must be taken into account, stressed Ms Maziere-Tauran.
The Order of Nurses proposes various measures, including training for all healthcare and administrative professionals, and studies.
He intends to conduct an information campaign among nurses on their rights. Since 2023, victims can report facts online on their "professional ordinal space" and then be supported by "VSS referents".
The Order would also like to improve coordination with police and justice services, set up "simplified reporting systems close to the field", modify the code of ethics to allow a nurse to "withdraw" from monitoring a patient in the event of danger, or even strengthen administrative sanctions, including "preventive" ones, against perpetrators.
"We must put an end to this kind of "rifle, sexualized" culture, "which persists on the image of the nurse", concluded the president, deploring a "lack of respect for the profession" under the cover of a humor which "makes no one laugh".
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