Breaking silence and building strength: Medical professionals role in ending Violence Against Women and Girls

By Alanna Okunneye
Medical Student (5th year) and Communications Volunteer at The Vavengers

Medical students find themselves underprepared to address issues like Violence Against Women and Girls  (VAWGs) and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in patient care, but it’s a role so  intricately linked to tackling these challenges. 

“35,600 ‘sexual safety incidents’ in NHS hospitals in England over the past five years [1]”

Against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, a cascade of events and studies has sought to shed light on the serious problem of sexual assault and VAWGs. In the healthcare community, a recent British Medical Journal investigation revealed at least 35,600 'sexual safety incidents' in NHS hospitals in England over the past five years (1), with another study finding one-third of female surgeons experiencing sexual assault (2). This led the General Medical Council to declare a 'zero tolerance' for sexual harassment (3). Despite heightened awareness and alarming statistics, the reality is that professionals entrusted with healing can also be perpetrators of such harm. Those meant to safeguard are, in some instances, failing our own, and this trickles down to effect survivors of FGM/C and VAWGs. We need meaningful  commitments to education, ensuring healthcare professionals universally and effectively advocate for the protection of all women and girls. 

“97.1% of medical students express eagerness to learn about FGM/C [6]”

The absence of standardised sexual misconduct training in medical universities is worrying. A recent study in the medical journal JRSM Open revealed that over a third of UK medical students lack this crucial training (4). The NHS has recently launched the first-ever sexual safety charter,  primarily focused on the workplace (5). But this initiative leaves out the most vulnerable to misconduct – medical students who may not have direct access to the resource also experience some of the worst hierarchical power imbalances in medicine. While recognising the significance of the NHS charter, there's an urgent need for more comprehensive efforts to equip medical students,  by addressing topics like sexual misconduct, VAWGs, and FGM/C. The eagerness of medical students to learn, particularly about FGM/C (as indicated by a national survey with 97.1% expressing its benefits), (6) emphasises the necessity of answering this call for knowledge. This collective desire is a crucial step toward breaking the silence that has perpetuated harm and delayed justice and healing for too long. 

Integrating VAWGs and FGM/C into the medical curriculum is not just essential; it's a moral imperative. While emphasising the critical role of standardised training for sexual misconduct, VAWGs and FGM/C, we must embrace survivor-led organisations, recognising their pivotal role in authentic education. Much like how we medical students learn best when combining textbook knowledge with real stories that etch knowledge into our hearts, survivor experiences serve as the backbone of true insight. The Vavengers, for instance, vividly illustrates how survivor-led talks can propel individuals towards advocacy, understanding, and  action against FGM/C and VAWGs. It's through these narratives, combined with standardised training, that we forge a path towards genuine empathy,  education, and meaningful change in the face of such critical issues.

“If I hadn’t been asked [by my nurse whether I’d been cut], my daughter would have been cut” – Dr Leyla Hussein, The Vavengers What if you Knew series.

Silence, ignorance and inaction has meant countless women and girls' stories are left unexplored and unspoken. As medical students, ethically tethered to the profound principle of beneficence—to do good—we  carry a responsibility to unravel these narratives within our own community. This is  a call to action, a chance to pledge to make a difference, and promise to stand up for the countless women and girls who may find healing through our commitment.

References:

1 – Torjesen I, Waters A. Medical colleges and unions call for inquiry over  “shocking” levels of sexual assault in the NHS. bmj. 2023 May 23;381. 

2 – Begeny CT, Arshad H, Cuming T, Dhariwal DK, Fisher RA, Franklin MD,  Jackson PM, McLachlan GM, Searle RH, Newlands C. Sexual harassment, sexual  assault and rape by colleagues in the surgical workforce, and how women and  men are living different realities: observational study using NHS population derived weights. British journal of surgery. 2023 Nov;110(11):1518-26. 

3 – Sexual harassment in healthcare must stop: New GMC standards [Internet].  2023 [cited 2023 Dec 3]. Available from:  

https://www.clinicalservicesjournal.com/story/42486/sexual-harassment-in healthcare-must-stop-new-gmc-standards  

4 – 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. 2023 Sep;14(9):20542704231198732. 

5 – NHS England» NHS launches first-ever sexual safety charter to help protect  staff [Internet]. www.england.nhs.uk. [cited 2023 Oct 8]. Available from:  https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/09/nhs-launches-first-ever-sexual-safetycharter-to-help-protectstaff/#:~:text=More%20support%20will%20be%20provided 

6 – Kinkaid V, Inverarity F, Morgan H, Ojewola T. A study to assess UK medical students' knowledge of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). InBJOG-AN  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY 2021 Jul 1 (Vol.  128, No. 8, pp. E29-E29). 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA: WILEY.