A survey conducted by the Satse union in the Canary Islands between October and November reveals that 57% of nurses and physiotherapists experience situations that may constitute sexual harassment and harassment based on sex, and that 82% do not report it, leading to it being "normalized, silenced, or made invisible".
Specifically, 56.63% of the surveyed professionals stated they had experienced **offensive sexist comments and/or jokes**, 33.69% **deliberate invasion of their personal space and belittling**, 27.24% **unsolicited and unwanted physical contact**, and 13.26% **sexual propositions**.
These are the data revealed by this poll, included in the information and awareness strategy that, under the slogan 'Yes, it happens, it's harassment', the union has launched on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Satse underlines in a statement that "professions dedicated to care have historically been stereotyped and sexualized, which is aggravated by physical proximity and the mistaken perception that they are 'at the service' of other people".
According to the organization, the "very worrying" data revealed in this survey "makes it necessary to continue raising awareness among professionals, public administrations, private companies, and society as a whole to end workplace violence."
67.32% of the surveyed nurses and physiotherapists are unaware of whether there is a protocol of action against sexual harassment and harassment based on sex to follow, and only 12.84% claim to have received information and/or had the opportunity to train on the matter.
Faced with this reality, Satse calls for the promotion of working conditions that prevent sexual harassment and harassment based on sex through the stringent compliance of equality plans and protocols aimed at their prevention, early detection, reporting, and support and advice for victimsTherefore, it demands that the Canary Islands Health Service urgently approve the Equality Plan to improve the prevention, early detection, reporting, attention, and advice for victimsThe union also demands the inclusion of this harassment in occupational risk assessments as a psychosocial risk, comprehensive protection for victims against retaliation and their access to psychological support and legal advice should their labor rights have been affected, and the implementation of all necessary actions to restore their psychological and physical health