I just checked the National Sexual Assault Hotline and their statistics
indicate that 1 in 6 women have been sexually assaulted.  I am curious about
the scope of this problem.  Could the people that have identified this as a
problem please tell us the number of hospital assaulted women you see in a
year and the total number of clients you see in a year?  Rachel Wahl RN
IBCLC

-----------------------------------

 

First - we need to remember that there are many different types of assaults.
I would not (personally) look at what happens in the hospitals as a sexual
assault.  And, in the case of rape - it isn't usually about the sex - it is
about control.  The assaults that happen in the hospital are physical and
psychological assaults.  I would suspect that the statistics of physical
assault of women are higher than 1 in 6.  When you add in the psychological
assault I am sure the statistics are even more depressing.  

 

Rachel, I can tell you right off the top of my head that at least 50% of the
women I work with, at home, have reported to me the rough handling of their
breasts, their babies, etc. that has left them traumatized and/or angry.
The worst cases result in babies with severe breast aversion and mothers
deeply disturbed and upset.  I got a call Sat afternoon from a midwife team
regarding their client who was treated so badly (manhandled the baby and the
mother roughly and painfully) in a local hospital (from where I hear MANY
complaints regardless of the LC on staff efforts to change that) that she
yelled at the nurse to leave her room NOW!  Baby is now refusing the breast
- screams at the sight of it.  

 

I see at least 250 -300 women/babies per year average.  It varies a bit.  I
deal with at least 30 breast aversions a year that take anywhere from 3 days
to a couple weeks to resolve.  The sad fact of the matter is that there are
some people out there who, regardless of the education they are getting,
still insist on handling women roughly - whatever their reasons is unknown.
The hospital I mentioned above - the LC (and I know her) has tried to
reeducate.  The only way people will change how they do things is if they
want to.  

 

Jennifer is correct - MOMS DON'T REPORT!  I have counseled every single
mother who reported to me how she was treated to please file a complaint as
that is the only way change will happen.  I have asked who was it (so I can
report back to the staff LC) - they don't remember the name of the person or
even what she looked like - they are too tired, and too distraught over the
more immediate issue of healing and trying to breastfeed that baby.  By the
time they may be in a place to write a letter - they have forgotten.  It
simply doesn't happen.  We have an IBCLC in our area who is equally as
appalling in how she treats mothers.  I know this because I get reports from
the mothers all the time and they say the same things about this person -
and the Ped in her area tells mother DIRECTLY NOT to call her!  He has them
call me.  THEY need to report and complain - I can't.  Third hand info
doesn't work.it needs to be the mothers.  Maybe I need to develop a form for
them.

 

I have a friend who is a Ped RN, she and I discussed this issue at length
Sat.  She reported to me her own frustration at watching other nurses handle
babies and mommies roughly - she knows there is no need for that - she knows
it isn't right.  She was very gentle with her patients.  When she gave birth
to her 5th baby at the hosp she worked at - SHE was treated as badly as the
other mothers!  She complained to me (as a new mommy) how roughly she was
handled - it was appalling to her.  She is one who will, in the future, be
able to go back into that setting and start making a difference.  But for
most new moms that is not the case.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jaye

 

 

 

 

 


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