Half of French Nurses Report Experiencing Gender-Based Violence at Work

A new survey reveals widespread sexual harassment and assault in the nursing profession, with significant barriers to reporting incidents.

An Ordre des Infirmiers survey of 21,000 nurses found 49% had experienced some form of sexist or sexual violence, including 53% of women and 24% of men.
Reported incidents range from inappropriate remarks (39%) to sexual assault (4%) and rape (0.13%).
Perpetrators include patients (60%), other healthcare professionals (47%), visitors (26%), and supervisors (14%).
Many victims cite fear of career repercussions or disbelief as reasons for not reporting, with only 2% filing formal complaints.
The nursing board has proposed measures including mandatory training, simplified reporting systems, and stronger administrative sanctions to address the issue.