One in two French women has faced gynaecological or obstetric violence, landmark survey finds
A national survey of more than 10,000 patients paints a stark picture of routine consent breaches, discrimination and pain ignored during intimate medical care in France.
Scale of the problem
More than 10,000 people took part in the first nationwide survey by the StopVOG association, published on 18 June 2026. Nearly half of respondents (45.1%) reported having suffered gynaecological or obstetric violence. The figures break down into 28.7% citing gynaecological violence and 24.5% obstetric violence, with many experiencing both. The results come 24 years after the 2002 Kouchner law enshrined the right to free and informed consent for any medical act.
Consent trampled on a daily basis
The survey shows consent is still “largely hindered.” A total of 88% of respondents reported a lack of respect for their intimacy during gynaecological consultations, and 80.95% said they had experienced at least one violation of consent during an exam. More than half (56.3%) suffered at least one serious breach that the association classifies as potentially akin to sexual violence. Over half of the participants said an examination continued despite the pain they expressed and their wish to stop; in 4.1% of cases, the exam went ahead even after an explicit refusal.
- Intimacy not respected
- 88 %
- At least one consent violation during exam
- 80.95 %
- Serious breach (possible sexual violence)
- 56.3 %
- Discrimination experienced
- 40 %
Pain ignored and voices silenced
Respondents described having their pain and side effects denied when it came to menstruation or contraception, with more than one in two saying their complaints were dismissed. A patient named Camille told RFI:
Approximately one in ten respondents reported inappropriate touching on intimate parts, and 4.5% denounced “back-and-forth” movements in the vagina performed by health professionals."Get on the table, undress, spread your legs, feet in the stirrups. Relax, you need to relax... Yes, easier said than done! So inevitably, I was not at all comfortable."
Discrimination in the consulting room
Nearly 40% of respondents faced discrimination during their care journey. Sexism, fatphobia, racism, and bias linked to sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or reproductive choices were all cited. The survey notes that such experiences push women to give up on seeking care: half of the respondents had already abandoned follow-up appointments after a bad experience.
Who are the perpetrators?
Gynaecologists were named by nearly 40% of victims as the source of these acts. Other physicians, radiologists, anaesthetists, sonographers and general practitioners, were cited by about 15%. Midwives were reported by 12.7% of victims, with interns, nursing students, paediatric nurses, osteopaths and physiotherapists also mentioned. StopVOG points to a lack of training on consent as a root cause, alongside hierarchical medical cultures that silence patients.
Calls for systemic change
The association, part of a feminist coalition pushing for comprehensive legislation against sexist and sexual violence, is demanding concrete reforms. The survey itself asks respondents for ways to improve practices, with many calling for better training, independent oversight and a genuine culture of consent in gynaecological settings where the body is still too often treated as an object.
