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A reputable study reported that "2/3’s of female patients surveyed in psychiatric wards have been sexually abused or harassed by male patients."   Adding to that finding has to be the number of female patients (and this happens to male patients as well) who have been sexually abused or harassed by employees of these facilities.

 

This high percentage of abuse victims in these mental health facilities results in re-traumatizing female patients and creates a fear and avoidance of such facilities, and as one victim expressed "I would rather die than be hospitalized again."

 

Because patients in these facilities are extremely vulnerable, making the abuse even more reprehensible.  Doctors, nurses and employees in these institutions should be held to a very high standard of care, and should never take advantage of the individual, they are responsible for protecting.