More than half of Women In Optometry Pop-up Poll respondents said they’ve been the subject of sexual harassment by a patient and more than one-in-four say they’ve been the subject of sexual harassment by a colleague in the profession. Even larger percentages feel that they’ve the subject of gender bias by a colleague or a patient. More than 250 people responded to a Women In Optometry Pop-up Poll on the topic. Most circumstances were not reported formally reported. However, 15 percent of respondents said they did speak out and named the person who subjected them to sexual harassment or gender bias. Another 4 percent said they reported it to the police or a board that had some authority to punish the person potentially.

Some others noted that they reported it to their employer’s HR department. But 13 percent of respondents said they told no one about the incident. The majority of respondents, 56 percent, said that they did tell a close friendly or family member, and 42 percent said they told staff or associates about it.