Sexual violence: half of pharmacy students report harassment facts

A quarter of them also say they have suffered sexual assault, according to a survey of the National Pharmacy Student Association (ANEPF).

Le Monde with AFP

Half of the pharmacy students report sexual harassment and a quarter say they have suffered sexual assault in their studies, according to a survey submitted Wednesday 2 February by the National Association of Pharmacy Students (ANEPF).

“The findings are distressing and deplorable,” said the president of the ANEPF, Numan Bahroun, at a press conference, affirming his “willingness to break the Omerta”.

The survey, conducted between November and December 2021 with 2,103 pharmacy students throws raw light on a die where sexist and sexual violence – which affects without surprise twice the women that men – are legion.

More than one in two students (55%) has already been the subject of sexist remarks, from other students, but also teachers, for example on the place of women “in the kitchen” , the use of the pill of the next day or at abortion.

“trivialization”

Nearly half of the students (48%) also report harassment facts, often by other pharmacy students but also from teachers, some testimonials evoking the sending of “displaced messages” or “Hair caresses” during classes. A stale climate, conducive to the act: More than one in four (27%) suffered sexual assault, mainly during student nights.

“This tribalization of acts between students was a surprise”, according to theo Vitrolles, spokesman for the ANEPF, astonished also to find one-third of students harassed in the pharmacies, where “we did not expect honestly. not to find this kind of violence “.

No amazement on the other hand at the hospital, where the “shocking” results (28% harassed students) echo the “similar” conclusions of a survey conducted at the beginning of 2020 by the National Student Association in medicine (ANEMF).

This confirms that “these violence is more prevalent in the health community than in the other academic sectors,” said Vitrolles, explaining this difference by the weight of “traditions” and a “effect of mimicry” favored by a learning “in vasée closed”.

/Media reports.