Eliminating violence against women and girls

Today, November 25, is the day International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls. Globally, one in three women has been a victim of gender-based violence at least once in their lives. In England and Wales, 6.5 million women have been raped or sexually assaulted since the age of 16. We see misogynistic ideas becoming increasingly popular, especially among young men.

This broader social problem is reflected in the workplace and in the medical profession. 13% of female doctors and dentists have been the target of patient sexual misconduct; this rises to 25% if we look at the experiences of general practitioners. The younger you are, the more likely you are to be targeted.

All of these numbers are likely higher in reality because reporting and conviction rates are so low.

All employees must work in a sexually safe environment, and it is the responsibility of employers to do everything they can to achieve this work environment for their employees. This is why eliminating violence against women is a union issue, and as co-chair of the Advisory Committee, I want to advocate for changes that create a sexually safe environment for all physicians and medical students.

I have been working with the BMA Sexual Misconduct Group, which has made improvements to our members’ services to ensure doctors and medical students receive the informed and compassionate support they need. We are working on our outreach, so the BMA is seen as a trusted source if you have been the target of sexual misconduct. We also encourage witnesses to these incidents to come to the BMA for support, recognizing that acting as a witness can be a challenging process to navigate alone.

As a trade union we have a unique role in supporting victims at every stage of the reporting process, and it is a role that 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.