Women on mixed psychiatric wards suffer abuse from male patients

A survey presented at an international mental health conference in Melbourne has indicated that women admitted to mixed sex psychiatric wards commonly suffer sexual and physical abuse at the hands of male patients.

The survey of both mental health staff and patients revealed significant safety and privacy issues for women admitted to mixed psychiatric wards with 60 per cent of women questioned saying they had been the victims of harassment or abuse by male patients.

The Victorian Women and Mental Health Network who conducted the survey say 70 per cent of mental health staff said they were aware of the harassment or abuse of female patients.

Heather Clarke, from the Victorian Women and Mental Health Network, says the figures highlight the fact that many women admitted to psychiatric wards did not feel safe and is of particular concern in areas of wards where staff are not always present, or in cases where patients are heavily medicated, making them more vulnerable to abuse.

Ms Clarke says women are admitted to hospital to get well, but the fact is that many are subjected to harassment and abuse and that has an adverse effect on their health.

She says the problem was further compounded by the high rates of abuse often suffered by these women earlier in life.

Ms Clarke says the evidence suggests that 64% of women admitted to psychiatric inpatient units have experienced physical or sexual childhood abuse and they were at risk of having that trauma re-triggered in a place where they should be safe.

Factors identified by women as contributing to feeling unsafe included male patients entering their rooms, inappropriate and aggressive behaviour, persistent unwelcome attention from males and a lack of supervision at nights.

It appears that current practice in some mixed wards is counter to therapeutic practice as patients may experience impaired judgement due to illness and/or medication resulting in uncharacteristic sexual contact, and women say there is significant humiliation and loss of dignity following such behaviour which impacts negatively on their recovery of mental health.

Nurses too say there is confusion about what role they should play in managing situations and managing safety/privacy issues on inpatient units is an issue.

They say clear guidelines are needed for patients about what is acceptable behaviour and extra support provided for vulnerable patients.

Ms Clarke says the problem is nationwide and she is advocating separate corridors for men and women in wards and says the safety of people in hospital should be paramount, regardless of the pressures on the public health system.

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, director of the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre in Melbourne says the disturbing incidents call for a policy change and policy makers are not responding adequately.