The Order of Masseur-Physiotherapists registers about 30 complaints per year for sex offenses, a figure which has doubled in 5 years. A campaign to prevent and fight against sexual violence in physiotherapy practices will be launched on May 12.
Thursday, May 12, 2022, the National Council of the Order of Masseur-Physiotherapists will officially launch a campaign to prevent and fight against sexual violence in physiotherapy practices “for a healthy and secure therapeutic relationship“, he explains in a communicated. On average, the 100,000 physiotherapists in France provide more than 2 million acts each day. The Order of Masseur-Physiotherapists registers approximately 30 sex charges per year, a figure that has doubled in 5 years. Without forgetting that “only 10% of victims of sexual acts file a complaint” recalls the Order. Its President Pascale Mathieu and the Secretary General Jean-François Dumas will present the tools developed within the framework of the work group “sexual violence” at the headquarters in Paris. The goal? “Inform patients and physiotherapists on the healthy and secure therapeutic relationship and establish recommendations for applying it“.
“Too many complaints of sexual assault, touching, even rape”
“It is by noting too many complaints from patients for acts ofsexual assault, touching, even rape, that the National Council decided, resolutely, to seize the subject of sexual violence. It is right to remember that the vast majority of physiotherapists do honor to the profession through their integrity and their unfailing commitment to quality care. In our offices, patients should feel safe, listened to, cared for for their pathologies by competent and caring professionals. It is a prerequisite for any therapeutic act.” said Pascale Mathieu. The work group “sexual violence” was created in February 2021 by Jean-Francois Dumas. It materialized in the form exchanges with stakeholders (ministries, elected officials, associations, physiotherapists, etc.) in order to set up communication tools so that the sessions with the physiotherapist remain a safe and healthy place for the patient. “This campaign was developed with the constant concern not to stigmatize the profession of physiotherapist. Making these facts public, denouncing them, preventing them allow our profession to grow by addressing a once a taboo subject. I hope through this commitment and this work changing mentalities, changing awkward behaviors, deconstructing received ideas about the therapeutic relationship, and informing patients about actions that are not acceptable from a healthcare professional” develops Jean-François Dumas. On March 15, 2022, the Order and the public prosecutor Mrs. Laure Beccuau signed a sexual offense reporting protocol. The National Council of the Order of Masseur-Physiotherapists is made up of 38 elected members : 30 liberal advisers and 8 employee advisorsof a representative of the Ministry of Health, which has an advisory vote. He is assisted by a member of the council of state appointed by the Ministry of Justice. He has a deliberative voice.
Sources:
Official launch of the campaign to prevent and fight against sexual violence in physiotherapy practices by the Order of Masseur-Physiotherapists, press release May 3, 2022
The Order of physiotherapists will soon launch a communication campaign on the prevention and fight against sexual violence within a physiotherapy practice, press release, March 30, 2022