Pain, fatigue, ill being underestimated by loved ones as well as by the company, derogatory remarks, brakes in social relations, activities and outings ... Here is a distressing Prévert-style inventory, not exhaustive, of the feelings of women during their rules. A list made up of constraints, discomfort and deprivation which leads to this startling result: 87% of them would like to no longer be menstruated! “We ourselves were surprised by this rate. We did not expect it to be so strong ", recognizes Louise Jussian, researcher in the" Opinion and Business Strategies "department at Ifop. For the world day of menstrual hygiene which takes place this Friday, the polling institute has indeed carried out a survey among women for Intimina, on the impact of the rules in their life.Its title is eloquent: "Hide this blood that I could not see" * ...
Friday May 28, World Menstrual Hygiene Day, let's break the taboo around menstruation and fight against stigma and discrimination related to menstruation 🩸 # MenstrualHygieneDay
- Geekette ひ ば (@hibaxxxcb) May 26, 2021
At a time when the Minister of Higher Education has decided to set up distributors of hygienic protections in universities for the start of the 2021 school year, and when menstruation is slowly landing in the media and political space, the way still seems very long to go for this taboo to be finally lifted: "Despite a recent form of freedom of speech vis-à-vis menstruation, better recognition of gynecological diseases such as endometriosis or the public debate on menstrual insecurity (
the lack of access to protections due to lack of means, Editor's note
), it appears that the rules are still a factor of social exclusion because this period is perfectly invisible.
Women must grit their teeth and act as if nothing had happened, ”summarizes Louise Jussian.
1 in 3 women have been teased
Indeed, society and the social space are not really benevolent on this subject, even hostile towards regulated women: 46% of them have already had the feeling that the discomfort or pain of their periods were downplayed by their male friends, and 42% by male family members. In addition, 1 in 3 women have experienced teasing or scathing comments about it. “In the public space, you see more condom distributors than periodic protections. It's more accepted to have sex than to have your period. They are still seen as something dirty, and on the side of women, they are ashamed and afraid of being vulnerable, ”says the Ifop expert.
Consequences: the series of their renouncements is as long as an arm.
Around a third of them have thus already avoided going out with friends or a date (and more than 8 out of 10 women, having sex), going swimming (74%) or even going to a medical appointment (38%).
In another study **, also released this Friday, from OpinionWay for the Elementary Rules association, it is shown that 44% of women themselves have missed work or know someone who has done it because of their work. rules.
This latest survey, which questions adult women and men, poses the taboo, especially in business, where nearly 7 out of 10 employees believe that the subject of menstruation does not exist there.
"Companies have invested very little in the subject"
According to the Ifop study, nearly one in two women suffers from painful periods, and, on OpinionWay's side, 20% of them (not counting minors) have been confronted with menstrual insecurity. A situation that affects nearly 2 million people in France. Two good reasons for these absences. “Companies have invested very little in the subject, unlike the public authorities which have been interested in it since 2018. Very simple things could however be applied to make this ecosystem more benevolent: awareness of HR, provision of free periodic protection, etc. », Lists Tara Heuzé-Sarmini, the founding president of the Elementary Rules association,association which has worked to ensure that menstrual insecurity is taken into account by the public authorities as a major public health issue.
On the eve of Menstrual Hygiene Day, @ 1ElisaMoreno and @olivierveran meet @DonsSolidaires & its partners engaged in the fight against menstrual insecurity 66.0000 protections distributed via @DonsSolidaires femmes to women followed by @EMMAUSolidarite #Hygiene # Dignity pic.twitter.com/VufMNvoTin
- Bruno Morel (@BrnoMorel) May 27, 2021
The recent implementation of a menstrual leave in a company in Montpellier (Hérault) will it not help to awaken the attention of other companies on this subject? The association does not support such an initiative. “We fight against the prejudices associated with the rules. However, such an approach suggests that it is normal to have pain when you have them. No, this is not normal. If this is the case, it must be taken care of by the medical profession and, if necessary, give rise to a stop ”, recalls the association manager. Ifop also notes "a lack of medical care for these symptoms". While painful periods affect 48% of women, this rate rises to 60% among the youngest, aged 15 to 19, including 20% who say they have
very
painful periods.
"How many times have I heard, are
you on your period or what?"
"
“For two years, I have been taking the pill continuously to stop having periods. It's drastic, but the doctors haven't found a better way to relieve my cramps. At least I have no more pain and it is more practical. I no longer ask myself questions about what to do or not to do and I am no longer afraid of
an accident
. In short, I feel more free. It changed my life. In return, I have to remember to take it every night, ”testifies Éléonore, a 26-year-old Parisian student. “What shocks me is the childish side of some older men who are nevertheless in a relationship with a woman. This is to say their ignorance of the body of their companion. How many times have I heard, in a little tense meetings, do
you have your period or what?
I know that it is said to send me back to my biological body and sweep away my arguments, ”blows Monica, 35, a marketing executive.
Lack of knowledge of the subject among men?
"Even gaping void", slices Tara Heuzé-Sarmini.
"However, everyone has their role to play to put an end to these remarks and to detect menstrual precarious situations: parents, school, health professionals, the company, the government ...", she insists. with an observation to the key.
Indeed, at least 47% of respondents had never heard of menstruation before puberty, and more than half had not received formal education on the subject.
* Ifop study for Intimina carried out from April 17 to 28, 2021 on a sample of 1,010 women, representative of the French female population aged 15 to 49 years.
** Opinion Way study for Elementary Rules carried out from April 20 to 26, 2021 with a sample of 1001 women and men, representative of the French population aged 18 and over.