Survey Finds Over 40% Of Women Who Experience Period Pain Work Through The Discomfort, Citing Period Stigma
The survey consisted of 5,000 women from 10 different countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States) to learn more about their experiences in the workplace.
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Period stigma creates a sense of shame, embarrassment or hesitation to talk about periods and too often, when we do dare to have conversations about menstruation, they center on disgust, discomfort or inconvenience.
These perceptions can lead people to wrongly believe that periods are somehow abnormal or problematic, rather than a mark of female health and wellness.
However, according to a report published on Wednesday, many of the world’s working women are experiencing health challenges related to menstruation and menopause.
Among them, more than 40% report working through pain or symptoms related to menstruation and 20% work through symptoms related to menopause.
When asked about benefits employers can offer to support women, more than half of respondents said they believe employers should offer paid leave for women experiencing health challenges related to menstruation and menopause.
However, less than a third said their employer currently offers paid leave related to menstrual symptoms and only one in five offer paid leave for menopause symptoms.
Additionally, while respondents reported a slight improvement in mental well-being and fewer women say they feel burned out compared to last year (28% v.s 46%), only 37% rate their ability to switch off from work as “good,” declining from 45% last year.
Meanwhile, the stigma around workplace mental health continues to exist, as only a quarter of respondents feel comfortable discussing mental health in the workplace which is a significant decline from 43% in the last report.
And many don’t feel they get adequate mental health support from their employers.
These issues are particularly prominent among women from underrepresented groups, who are more likely to report feeling burned out and are less likely to feel comfortable discussing mental health in the workplace.
Moreover, nearly 59% of respondents say they are very or extremely concerned about women’s rights, making it their top concern, followed by financial security (58%), mental and physical health (both at 56%), and personal safety (54%).
The survey consisted of 5,000 women from 10 different countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States) to learn more about their experiences in the workplace.
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