Trigger warning: sexual harassment
When I saw the survey results from the British Journal of Surgery, stating that nearly two-thirds of female surgeons had been the target of sexual harassment, I wasn’t surprised. I worked in the NHS for nine years, and the lecherous behaviour, casual sexism and outright harassment passed off as ‘banter’ is one of the main reasons I left.
I was a victim of sexual harassment, but I didn’t realise the true scale of the problem until years after I’d left the organisation in 2018.
I joined the NHS as an administrator because I wanted to work for an organisation that changed people’s lives. I was enticed by talk of an inclusive, friendly environment with values of dignity, respect, care and compassion. I soon discovered that the NHS has an insidious harassment culture where complaints are brushed aside.
I worked in a surgical waiting list office; only one of the 17 consultant surgeons I worked for was female. Interacting with male doctors was part of the job, and treatment varied – at best, you would be regarded with vague contempt; at worst, you would be treated like a piece of meat.
I’d get questions from my surgeons about my love life, saying I looked like “I knew how to have a good time” with a comedy wink. One of the surgeons who was terrible at remembering names called me “Jugs” because that was my nickname among his colleagues. There was one consultant who was notorious for his predatory behaviour.
I could feel his presence before I saw him. He’d creep into the office, come up behind me at my desk, place his hand on my shoulder and talk to me while looking down my top. The hand on my shoulder indicated he was in charge, and I felt trapped and helpless. He chose not to wear underwear under his surgical scrubs and was often visibly aroused. Sometimes, he would reach over me to grab a form from a shelf above me, and his erection would press into me.
Whenever this happened, I froze, not wanting to react in case that turned him on.
After this happened a few times, I spoke to my line manager, who was pretty standoffish, nearing retirement and had already mentally checked out of her job.
When I told her about the surgeon’s creepy behaviour, she told me he was “harmless.” When she said, “Do you think I got to where I am by complaining about men?” I realised I was talking to someone who didn’t care or even think what I told her was a ‘problem.’
I became jumpy and anxious at work and started having nightmares about being assaulted by this specific doctor. After a few months, I realised I couldn’t go on like this, so I decided to look for another job outside the healthcare sector. I later learned he assaulted a nurse and was eventually disciplined, but only after years of ignored complaints.
When I left the NHS, I spoke to other women who have been subject to harassment from senior colleagues and, sometimes, patients. A receptionist complained to her manager that men arriving at the clinic often commented about her breasts. Instead of being taken seriously, she was told to wear a roll-neck jumper under her uniform, even in the summer.