Since the term “sexual harassment” was introduced for the first time in order to describe unwanted and hostile harassing behavior on the basis of the person’s sex, it has attracted particular attention due to the spread of this phenomenon in all spheres of life, including health care. Sexual harassment towards health care professionals, especially nurses, has highly negative consequences for medical facilities and a devastating effect on people (Somani, et al., 2015). It traditionally includes offensive sexual conduct, the demonstration of sexual body parts, sexual jokes, and touching the nurses’ body parts. According to multiple unreported cases, nurses experience offers for sexual involvement, actual workplace sexual harassment, and even rape (Somani, et al., 2015). In addition, female nurses are generally more vulnerable to sexual violence in comparison with other medical personnel as their compassionate nature and duties that require a caring and friendly attitude “is misperceived by male patients as sexual signals” (Somani, et al., 2015, p. 289). In addition, nurses frequently work with people under the influence of a drug or alcohol who do not control themselves properly.
It goes without saying that sexual harassment in health care is completely unacceptable. The excuse may be provided only for patients with serious mental disorders, such as dementia, as they are not fully responsible for their actions. In other cases, appropriate policies related to sexual harassment should be established in the health care system in order to improve its quality, and all its members should cooperate to prevent abusive behavior (Choo, et al., 2019). Sexual harassment should be immediately reported in order to hold abusers administratively liable. In addition, huge money penalties for sexual harassment may contribute to its prevention.
References
Choo, E. K., Byington, C. L., Johnson, N., & Jagsi, R. (2019). From #MeToo to #TimesUp in health care: Can a culture of accountability end inequity and harassment? The Lancet, 393(10171), 499-502. Web.
Somani, R., Karmaliani, R., Mc Farlane, J., Asad, N., & Hirani, S. (2015). Sexual harassment towards nurses in Pakistan: Are we safe? International Journal of Nursing Education, 8(2), 289-292.