In Kentucky and across the United States, sexual harassment has garnered major attention for its prevalence. Unfortunately, despite the strides that have been made to prevent it and give victims ways to receive justice, it is still a problem in a variety of industries.
A report from the New England Journal of Medicine says that female physicians are confronted with a variety of workplace violations including sexual harassment, verbal abuse and being discriminated against due to their gender. This has resulted in an increasing number experiencing burnout. For medical professionals, burnout can cause personal problems including feeling fatigued, exhausted, cynical and less productive. It can also place patients in danger. While this is frequent among medical professionals in general, it happens more often with females, especially those who are surgical residents.
The study’s conclusions came from a survey of surgical residents regarding their work situations. An estimated 7,400 took part. Of all participants, 40% were female. While 42% stated they felt burnout, only 36% of males said the same.
Researchers discovered that the burnout largely stemmed from being mistreated on the job. Men and women can both be mistreated on the job, with around 50% from both genders saying they dealt with inappropriate treatment. However, it was more common with women. Gender discrimination was referenced by 65%; males saw it 10% of the time. While 13% of females were discriminated against because of pregnancy or due to having children, only 3% of expectant fathers said the same. Finally, 20% of women said they were sexually harassed; 4% of men said the same.
Discrimination and sexual harassment should never be tolerated in any job. For those who are medical professionals, it can not only cause challenges for them personally, but it can place others in danger because of the emotional impact it has with burnout. Having legal advice can be key to filing a claim to be compensated. A law firm with experience in assisting people from many industries and situations with their sexual harassment cases should be called for a consultation to determine the next step.
