A large number of mental health patients in the United Kingdom have claimed they were raped and sexually assaulted by the National Health Service (NHS) during their treatment, in what has been described as a “national scandal” shaking the country. A joint investigation by Sky News and The Independent revealed on Sunday that there have been approximately 20,000 complaints related to sexual assaults and harassment by both staff and patients since 2019, across more than 30 mental health institutions in England.
The investigation concluded that NHS institutions "failed to report the majority of incidents to the police and do not meet the vital standards designed to protect the most vulnerable patients in the UK from sexual harm." Many patients and their families shared their stories of experiencing sexual assault during their stay in units designated for mental health patients in the 18-month investigation.
The investigation was initiated following the testimony of Alexis Quinn, a former swimming star in Britain, who said she was sexually assaulted twice—first when she was forced to sleep in a male ward, and second in a mixed-gender ward. Rivka Grant also testified that she was sexually assaulted by an NHS staff member. Similarly, Stephanie Touti recounted how, after seeking mental health services in Essex following a rape in her youth, she was instead sexually assaulted by a staff member for five months.
In response, the president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Leed Smith, described the findings as “shocking,” while Health Minister Wes Streeting stated that the findings are a “wake-up call” for the government. Streeting added, "Everyone will be appalled that these horrific crimes were committed against patients in their most vulnerable states. The fact that this happened within the NHS is frightening."
