New researches reveal nearly 20,000 complaints of sexual harassment and rape in Britain since 2019

New researches reveal nearly 20,000 complaints of sexual harassment and rape, both among patients and personnel, of around 30 mental health centers in Britain since 2019.

The British media have exposed that scores of thousands of patients suffering from mental problems have been sexually abused in medical centers affiliated to the public health of the country. According to Pars Today, quoting from Mizan news agency, mental health patients say that, during treatment in the public health centers in Britain, they have been raped and sexually harassed. They described this issue as a “national scandal”.

The researches of Sky News and Independent have revealed approximately 20 thousand complaints of rape and sexual abuse since 209, both on patients and personnel, and that, only in 30 mental health centers of Britain. These researches began with the testimony of Alexis Quinn, former young British swimmer, who has narrated her experience on Sky News.

Having published her reports related to sexual harassment of patients in mental health hospitals of British public health services, Quinn refrained from medical care.

The story of this young British woman was published as podcast on Sky News under the heading, “Patient 11”. After her complaint, however, none of the abusers were prosecuted or faced any punitive act. Then, a few of the victims and their families, too, started narrating their experiences.

These narrations included that of a graduate of law who explains how she had been raped by an employee before being transferred to the psychological center.

Meanwhile, a mother of two children said that, during five months, she had experienced “horrible” sexual harassment by a male employee.

Alexis told Sky News, “I thought that I was alone, but I am not alone. There are thousands like me.”

In 2011, the British health ministry was committed to omit bisexual cares in all its hospitalization services.

However, more than 12 years after that, Sky News and Independent have detected hundreds of rape and sexual harassment charges in the bisexual sections and common spaces of psychological care units related to public health of the country.

More than 50 petitions of freedom of information have forced these two media to publish the results of their researches.

Approximately 20,000 events related to sexual safety in hospitalization sections of mental health centers have been reported during 2019-2023 and the figure is on the rise every year. The event related to sexual safety is defined as any unintentional sexual behavior which causes a person to feel upset or unsafe. This includes rape and sexual harassment.

Moreover, nearly 4,000 events related to sexual safety were reported in 2023 which was higher than the whole annual figures of 2019 and 2020.

Furthermore, over 800 claims of sexual harassment and rape, including female patients, had occurred in more than 20 centers in Britain during the years 2019-2023, but only 95 of cases have been reported to the police.

More than 500 claims of rape and sexual harassment have also been reported to have happened in more than 20 bisexual psychological hospitalization centers affiliated to the British public health services.

Dame Vera Baird, former Victim Commissioner for England and Wales, described these findings as a national scandal. Lade Smith, President of Royal College of Psychiatrists, also said, “Horrible findings show that still many things should be done to make sure that the patients and personnel of mental health centers are protected forever against sexual harms.”

She added, “It is deeply worrying to see that many reports are not reported from the mental health centers.”

In 2012, Alexis, a mother who worked as a teacher, entered the mental care center after the death of her brother. On Christmas of 2013, she complained of rape by a patient in Little Brooke Conte hospital after being put in a totally male section.