In an exclusive investigation report, Sky News and The Independent jointly revealed nearly 20,000 complaints of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment involving patients and staff across over 30 mental health trusts in England since 2019.
The allegations of rape and sexual assault within the NHS mental health system have been described as a “national scandal”. The Sky News podcast “Patient 11” documented the harrowing account of Alexis Quinn, a former British youth swimmer, who escaped from psychiatric care, reporting sexual assault by male patients. This podcast triggered the investigation.
Those accused of assaulting Alexis faced no criminal action. Many patients and their families have shared their own distressing experiences. Among them is a law graduate who recounted being sexually assaulted by a male staff member before being transferred to a psychiatric unit with both male and female patients.
Additionally, a mother-of-two disclosed enduring five months of appalling sexual abuse by a male staff member. Expressing her sentiments to Sky News, Alexis said, “I thought it was just me. But it’s not just me – there are thousands of people [like me].”
Despite a 2011 commitment by the Department of Health to end mixed-sex care in inpatient services, the joint investigation by Sky News and The Independent found hundreds of allegations of rape and sexual assault in NHS England psychiatric care settings. Through over 50 freedom of information requests to mental health trusts, they discovered nearly 20,000 “sexual safety incidents” in inpatient wards between 2019 and 2023, with yearly figures on the rise.
Between January and August 2023, almost 4,000 sexual safety incidents were reported, exceeding the yearly totals for 2019 and 2020. However, most trusts are failing to implement 2020 government-backed sexual safeguarding protections, with only six authorities complying.
A sexual safety incident encompasses any unwanted sexual behavior that causes discomfort or a sense of danger. This includes rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual comments, or witnessing sexual behavior, including exposure to nudity.
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