NEARLY two-thirds of female patients surveyed in psychiatric wards in
Victoria have been sexually abused or harassed by male patients, new
figures show.

A report by the Victorian Women and Mental Health Network has also
revealed that 70% of mental health staff surveyed by the group knew
the abuse and harassment was occurring in public hospital wards. A
further 30% of the 42 staff surveyed said the abuse, usually
perpetrated by sexually disinhibited male patients, happened
frequently.

Network convener Heather Clarke said the report, Nowhere to be safe:
Women’s experiences of mixed-sex psychiatric wards, showed that 61% of
the 75 female patients surveyed about their experiences in psychiatric
wards had been abused or harassed in some way and did not feel safe.

Go to http://badpsych.com/2008/05/13/women-in-mental-wards-face-grave-risk-...
for more

For those who think this isn't happening in today's psychiatric world
must be kidding themselves.