Katie* is one of three female paramedics who have shared their experiences of being “hounded” for sexual favours in return for passing training, getting a promotion or simply keeping their jobs.

Although these remarks were often dismissed as “jokes” or “banter”, Katie says, occasionally it shifted into a “monumental” abuse of power.

“Handjobs. Blowjobs. They were obsessed with blowjobs,” she says.

Once I made a mistake with a patient, and a colleague tried to blackmail me into having sex with him. It was horrendous. When I told him no, he said, “watch your back, because I could rape you”.

I don’t know how you change this culture. When posters saying “We Do Not Tolerate Sexual Harassment” were put on the doors in the ladies toilets, a man crossed out the “Not” and drew a penis next to a woman’s mouth.

  • mad_asshatter@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    The rape threat should have been reported to the police when it happened imho

    There’s a better chance of that happening nowadays vs as little as a year ago. And “reporting” often bears a trauma of its own.

    Five, ten years ago?
    Buried.

    • sunzu@kbin.run
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      2 months ago

      There would still be a record of incident even if pigs do nothing.

      Criminal accusations purely based on a story will never resonate with public since anyone can make accusations for any reason…