Nurses in Welsh NHS hospitals have reported that the current sexual assault and rape reporting systems are failing. They have stated that these systems are virtually decriminalising abuse at work. The issue is creating an unsafe working environment for current and former nurses alike. The NHS Confederation for Wales has responded, stating that the protection of patients and staff is being taken very seriously. Meanwhile, the Welsh government has issued a statement saying that harassment and sexual violence have no place in the NHS.
Megan, a recently retired NHS nurse of 35 years, shared that some male patients found sexual assault “a laugh.” She added that they would grab and grope staff members and, as young females, this violated them. She also mentioned that senior male staff members often preyed on student nurses. She reported these instances, but there was an attitude that nothing could be done. This highlights the inadequacy of the reporting system in place, especially when it comes to senior staff members.
Current and former nurses also divulged other forms of sexual harassment. One nurse, Cerys, experienced inappropriate touching while introducing herself to a new department. A nurse in charge of the department slapped her on the bottom and introduced himself. As a new nurse, this left her humiliated and vulnerable. She had heard from three female patients that they had been sexually abused in the hospital.
The Women’s Rights Network conducted a freedom of information request to the four Welsh police forces. They discovered that there had been a total of 152 sexual assaults and 26 rapes on hospital grounds from January 2019 to October 2022. Of the four Welsh police forces, only North Wales Police recorded the gender of the victims. The data showed that 80% were female, and 20% were male. The group is pushing for better data gathering, including gender, location, and perpetrator or victim status.
The lack of a clear and efficient system for reporting sexual assault and harassment at work leaves nurses feeling powerless. Dr Becky Cox, GP and co-founder of the Surviving in Scrubs campaign group, says there is no “decent or appropriate” system for reporting assaults. Many offenders are going unpunished due to the failure of the system. NHS Wales must improve workplace safety and culture to foster an inclusive environment where everyone can speak out and challenge inappropriate behavior
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