Exual Harassment Among Health Workers And Students

This study aimed to determine the dimensions of sexual harassment experienced in health sector and health education in Turkey (1). This study aimed to reveal the perceptions, attitudes and behaviors of Turkish health workers and health students toward sexual harassment (2). This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The study was performed with 96 health workers from three different hospitals including a university, a Ministry of Health public hospital and a maternity hospital and, 99 students of nursing and midwifery education in one university. In a special room and by using face to face method, total 195 attendants filled in a questionnaire developed by the researches in accordance with literature. Frequency test, percentage distribution test and, chi square test were used to assess the data. In this study, 20.8% of health workers and 10.1% of health students were found to be exposed to sexual harassment. “Unnecessary touch and unwelcome contact” prevailed among the health workers (60%) whereas “staring at repetitively or in a suggestive manner” prevailed among the health students (70%). Sexual harassment was found to occur frequently within “working hours/daytime” among health workers. Health students reported that they exposed to the harassment during “watch duty/night shift” mostly. Health workers and nursing and midwifery students were determined to be subjected to sexual harassment in Turkey. Although the majority of the participants believe managers’ report no abuse must be reported to the event.