Sexual Misconduct in the Health Services :  Tip of the Iceberg

Medicine has been long considered a noble profession. Nobility in medicine is not obsolete; the selflessness, courage, self-sacrifice, and altruism on gallant display in the response to COVID-19 reassure that at its core, this ethic of egalitarian service remains intact and deeply established in the DNA of physicians worldwide.1 However, a rising rate of reported sexual misconduct in the UK NHS is putting both vulnerable patients and learners at risk of long-term physical and mental harm.2 Sexual misconduct is not only devastating for the victims, but by making the workplace unsafe for women, perpetrators make the workplace unsafe for patients.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Title: Sushruta Journal of Health Policy & Opinion

Abbreviated Title: Sus

ISSN (Electronic): 2732-5164

ISSN (Print): 2732-5156

Publication date Created: March 06 2024

Publication date (Electronic): March 06 2024

Volume: 16

Issue: 1

Article

DOI: 10.38192/16.1.8

SO-VID: 34c288f7-6100-4c7e-a0af-a677649cb821

License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

History

References

Yancy, C. W. Academic Medicine and Black Lives Matter: Time for Deep Listening. JAMA 324, 435–436 (2020).
Bagenal, J. & Baxter, N. Sexual misconduct in medicine must end. The Lancet 399, 1030–1032 (2022).
Torjesen, I. & Waters, A. Medical colleges and unions call for inquiry over “shocking” levels of sexual assault in the NHS. BMJ 381, p1105 (2023).
King, P. A., Chaudhry, H. J. & Staz, M. L. State Medical Board Recommendations for Stronger Approaches to Sexual Misconduct by Physicians. JAMA 325, 1609–1610 (2021).
Espinoza, M. & Hsiehchen, D. Characteristics of Faculty Accused of Academic Sexual Misconduct in the Biomedical and Health Sciences. JAMA 323, 1503–1505 (2020).
Bismark, M. M. et al. Sexual misconduct by health professionals in Australia, 2011–2016: a retrospective analysis of notifications to health regulators. Med. J. Aust. 213, 218–224 (2020).
McMurray, R. J. et al. Sexual Misconduct in the Practice of Medicine. JAMA 266, 2741–2745 (1991).
Sindhu, K. K., Schaffer, A. C., Cohen, I. G., Allensworth, R. H. & Adashi, E. Y. Honoring the public trust: curbing the bane of physician sexual misconduct. J. Law Biosci. 9, lsac007 (2022).
Mathews, B. & Bismark, M. M. Sexual harassment in the medical profession: legal and ethical responsibilities. Med. J. Aust. 203, 189–192 (2015).
Dowling, T. & Steele, S. Is sexual misconduct training sufficient in the UK’s medical schools: Results of a cross-sectional survey and opportunities for improvement. JRSM Open 14, 20542704231198732 (2023).
Gallagher, C. T. et al. Disciplinary Action Against UK Health Professionals for Sexual Misconduct: A Matter of Reputational Damage or Public Safety? J. Med. Regul. 107, 7–16 (2022).
Hill, K. A. et al. Assessment of the Prevalence of Medical Student Mistreatment by Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Sexual Orientation. JAMA Intern. Med. 180, 653–665 (2020).
McClain, T., Kammer-Kerwick, M., Wood, L., Temple, J. R. & Busch-Armendariz, N. Sexual Harassment Among Medical Students: Prevalence, Prediction, and Correlated Outcomes. Workplace Health Saf. 69, 257–267 (2021).
Täuber, S., Loyens, K., Oertelt-Prigione, S. & Kubbe, I. Harassment as a consequence and cause of inequality in academia: A narrative review. eClinicalMedicine 49, (2022).
Bull, A., Calvert-Lee, G. & Page, T. Discrimination in the complaints process: introducing the sector guidance to address staff sexual misconduct in UK higher education. Perspect. Policy Pract. High. Educ. 25, 72–77 (2021).
Choudhary, A. The fully equipped physician: An ancient Indian competency framework. J. Fam. Med. Prim. Care 12, 4–9 (2023).

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Yancy, C. W. Academic Medicine and Black Lives Matter: Time for Deep Listening. JAMA 324, 435–436 (2020).

[2] Bagenal, J. & Baxter, N. Sexual misconduct in medicine must end. The Lancet 399, 1030–1032 (2022).

[3] Torjesen, I. & Waters, A. Medical colleges and unions call for inquiry over “shocking” levels of sexual assault in the NHS. BMJ 381, p1105 (2023).

[4] King, P. A., Chaudhry, H. J. & Staz, M. L. State Medical Board Recommendations for Stronger Approaches to Sexual Misconduct by Physicians. JAMA 325, 1609–1610 (2021).

[5] Espinoza, M. & Hsiehchen, D. Characteristics of Faculty Accused of Academic Sexual Misconduct in the Biomedical and Health Sciences. JAMA 323, 1503–1505 (2020).

[6] Bismark, M. M. et al. Sexual misconduct by health professionals in Australia, 2011–2016: a retrospective analysis of notifications to health regulators. Med. J. Aust. 213, 218–224 (2020).

[7] McMurray, R. J. et al. Sexual Misconduct in the Practice of Medicine. JAMA 266, 2741–2745 (1991).

[8] Sindhu, K. K., Schaffer, A. C., Cohen, I. G., Allensworth, R. H. & Adashi, E. Y. Honoring the public trust: curbing the bane of physician sexual misconduct. J. Law Biosci. 9, lsac007 (2022).

[9] Mathews, B. & Bismark, M. M. Sexual harassment in the medical profession: legal and ethical responsibilities. Med. J. Aust. 203, 189–192 (2015).

[10] Dowling, T. & Steele, S. Is sexual misconduct training sufficient in the UK’s medical schools: Results of a cross-sectional survey and opportunities for improvement. JRSM Open 14, 20542704231198732 (2023).

[11] Gallagher, C. T. et al. Disciplinary Action Against UK Health Professionals for Sexual Misconduct: A Matter of Reputational Damage or Public Safety? J. Med. Regul. 107, 7–16 (2022).

[12] Hill, K. A. et al. Assessment of the Prevalence of Medical Student Mistreatment by Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Sexual Orientation. JAMA Intern. Med. 180, 653–665 (2020).

[13] McClain, T., Kammer-Kerwick, M., Wood, L., Temple, J. R. & Busch-Armendariz, N. Sexual Harassment Among Medical Students: Prevalence, Prediction, and Correlated Outcomes. Workplace Health Saf. 69, 257–267 (2021).

[14] Täuber, S., Loyens, K., Oertelt-Prigione, S. & Kubbe, I. Harassment as a consequence and cause of inequality in academia: A narrative review. eClinicalMedicine 49, (2022).

[15] Bull, A., Calvert-Lee, G. & Page, T. Discrimination in the complaints process: introducing the sector guidance to address staff sexual misconduct in UK higher education. Perspect. Policy Pract. High. Educ. 25, 72–77 (2021).

[16] Choudhary, A. The fully equipped physician: An ancient Indian competency framework. J. Fam. Med. Prim. Care 12, 4–9 (2023).