UK: Female surgeons face sexual assaults during operations, claims study on NHS

Female surgeons in the UK have made shocking claims of having faced sexual harassment and assault and in a few cases rape by colleagues, as stated in a major analysis of NHS staff.

The authors of the study said there has been a pattern of female trainees facing abuse by senior male surgeons, and now this is happening in NHS hospitals.

The Royal College of Surgeons stated that the findings were "truly shocking".

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The analysis referred to sexual assault, sexual harassment and rape as the open secret of the surgery.

The report revealed untold stories of female surgeons being fondled inside their scrubs, men rubbing erections against the women staff and male surgeons wiping their brows on the breasts of female colleagues.

As per the study, some were even offered career opportunities in exchange for sex.

ALSO READ |UK: Numbers show huge spike in patient deaths while on NHS waitlist

The analysis, which was done by the Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery, the University of Surrey and the University of Exeter, was published by the BBC News.

Almost two-thirds of women surgeons, while responding to the researchers, claimed to have faced sexual harassment and a third of them were sexually assaulted by colleagues in the last five years.

Women stated that they feared if the incidents were reported, it would damage their careers and they did not have confidence in the fact that NHS would take action.

Sexual assault inside operating theatre

A talented consultant surgeon, while speaking to BBC News, said that she faced sexual assault early in her career when she was the weakest person in the operating theatre and a senior male surgeon present there was sweating.

She narrated, "[He] just turned round and buried his head right into my breasts and I realised he was wiping his brow on me. You just freeze right, 'why is his face in my cleavage?'"

When the incident happened for the second time, the woman gave him a towel. "The surgeon replied, 'no, this is much more fun'," she said, adding, "and it was the smirk - I felt dirty, I felt humiliated".

WATCH |UK: Junior and senior doctors to strike together for the first time in NHS history

"He wasn't even the most senior person in the operating theatre, but he knew that behaviour was ok and that's just rotten," she added.

Men also subject to sexual harassment

Meanwhile, the report stated that men were also subject to similar kinds of harassment, as 24 per cent claimed to have been sexually harassed and concluded that men and women surgeons are "living different realities".

"Our findings are likely to shake the confidence of the public in the surgical profession," stated Dr Christopher Begeny, from the University of Exeter.

You cannow write forwionews.comand be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with ushere.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE