“We need to speak up when something is not right—because silence is a form of complicity.” — Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, pediatrician and public health advocate
The Easy Option?
Silence is often seen as the easy option when dealing with difficult situations—especially when those situations involve people. An overbearing mother-in-law, a difficult neighbour, someone else’s naughty child… But what about when the person involved is a colleague? A colleague who is well known for inappropriate comments, “jokes,” and rumoured to be “a bit overfamiliar”?
There’s no denying that addressing these individuals can feel awkward. It can lead to worries about making a situation worse, damaging professional relationships, or risking your personal reputation. But what is the cost of not speaking up?
An Uncomfortable Truth
Staying silent when faced with sexual misconduct protects the perpetrators. These individuals are often in positions of power—whether through their professional roles or social capital. Challenging them can feel especially daunting when they’re embedded within the healthcare system.
The NHS, though often criticised for its logistical failings, is fiercely defended as one of the foundations of our society. Free healthcare for all is a source of national pride, and many feel its reputation must be safeguarded at all costs. More specifically, the staff are what keep the NHS running—so their reputation is, too often, protected above all else.
But despite how the media may portray us, NHS staff are not heroes, nor are we ungrateful “money-grabbers” [see any recent coverage of junior doctor strikes]. We are fallible human beings. That means we have the capacity to care and make meaningful connections—but also to make mistakes. And yes, unfortunately, that means there are “bad apples” among us.
Silence as Self-Protection
In healthcare, there is a clear message: speaking up against the tolerated culture of sexual misconduct comes at a cost. Whistleblowers are sidelined, discredited, and often made to feel like they are the problem. The stories on our website show this happening again and again.
We’ve also received testimonies describing how NHS trusts and other healthcare employers try to protect their own reputations—or that of the alleged perpetrator—by downplaying abuse, dismissing complaints as “misunderstandings,” or using language that minimises harm. These are classic examples of institutional gaslighting: reframing truth-telling as exaggeration or disloyalty.
These processes don’t just fail those who speak out—they actively retraumatise them. So is it any wonder so many survivors choose silence?
Individual Responsibility for the Collective
This is why everyone in healthcare needs to speak up. Because every time a comment is brushed off, a boundary crossed, or harm witnessed without a response, it reinforces a culture where abuse continues—and where survivors are blamed for “making a fuss.”
The more we talk about these issues—whether by calling out behaviour in the moment, or discussing it with colleagues over coffee—the more we normalise speaking up. Many hands make light work, and dismantling the damaging culture of sexual misconduct in healthcare will be much easier if we all play our part.
Change doesn’t come from policies alone. It comes when individuals take responsibility for the culture they’re part of. If we want collective safety, we need collective accountability—and that starts with each and every one of us refusing to look the other way.
