Despite near-gender balance in the work force, women paramedics in Aotearoa New Zealand report a cycle of harmful workplace interactions — including bullying, sexual harassment, and misogyny - sustained by inadequate employer responses and a culture that discourages reporting.
These accounts come from my recent Masters study involving 148 women paramedics who shared anonymous survey responses. Their stories revealed a pattern of harmful behaviour, mostly by male colleagues - many in senior clinical or management positions- as well as some senior women colleagues and male patients.
While these behaviours had serious personal consequences for women, the perpetrators often faced no repercussions. Furthermore, inadequate responses from employers and a workplace culture that discouraged reporting allowed this behaviour to continue — pushing some women to take sick leave, reduce their hours, or consider leaving the profession altogether.
One respondent described the difficult choice women often face:
“It has been established that this behaviour is acceptable by men, and the women who don’t play along are isolated and bullied and the men who are the main offenders all hold positions of authority. So we as females have two choices, play along and be harassed, or don’t and be bullied.”
Quantitative findings reinforced these experiences:
- 82% of respondents had experienced microaggressions at work
- 61% of respondents had experienced bullying and harassment at work
- 63% of respondents had experienced sexual harassment at work
The study offers a detailed account of the challenges faced by women paramedics and reveals how harmful gender-based workplace interactions:
- undermined retention
- increased absenteeism and turnover
- reduced engagement and productivity, and
- caused psychological and physical distress.
While the stories are confronting, respondents also proposed clear and actionable changes to create workplaces where everyone feels safe, respected, and able to thrive. The insights offered by these women bestow an opportunity for real, systemic change and reflect aspirations for systems that genuinely address the realities of harmful workplace interactions.
I have prepared policy and procedure recommendations that are informed by the respondents’ insights, findings, and existing research. For example, to foster a “speak-up” culture, multiple and accessible reporting options should be available, including anonymous reporting. Diverse roles should be involved in investigation processes to promote fairness and impartiality, and detailed records of complaints and grievances should be maintained to identify and address patterns of harmful behaviour.
This research presents an exciting opportunity to honour the bravery of the women who candidly shared their experiences. Their insights highlight pathways for improvement, emphasising the need for gender-and evidence-informed policies and procedures within the profession. Adopting these recommendations would enhance the experience of women paramedics and set a benchmark for other industries, driving systemic change and contributing to broader societal progress.
All the recommendations, along with the full study which also explores female-sex physiology, work-life balance, and career progression for women paramedics, can be accessed here - or via this QR code.
Author: Emily Wynch
Master of Professional Practice, Extended Care Paramedic, and
Senior Degree Lecturer (Wellington Free Ambulance and Whitireia | WelTec).
Contact: [email protected]
To read more articles from The Circular (July-August 2025) issue 653, click on the tag below.