Witnesses to accidents are more likely to be reluctant to provide first aid to women. Why?

Every minute or even second in a life-threatening situation is worth its weight in gold. However, as it turns out, women are less willing to provide first aid than men.

– This activity is associated with an intimate activity – notes Marcin Borkowski, a paramedic. “This action”, i.e. touching a woman's chest or having to remove underwear when a defibrillator is needed.

To break embarrassment, Marcin Borkowski conducts training with clothed phantoms. – There is no such thing as shame in rescue services, especially when there is a cardiac arrest – emphasizes Marcin Borkowski.

Shame usually comes from a lack of knowledge. – Witnesses to the event fear that the presence of breasts in women is somehow an obstacle to resuscitation – notes Jagoda Mikołajczyk, a doctor's assistant in the Emergency Department, who runs the Instagram profile “Woman in an ambulance”.

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Women's organizations admit that these fears are hardly surprising, since so few of the phantoms on which we learn first aid have breasts at all. The vast majority are male or so-called neutral phantoms, with slightly outlined breasts.

– They are afraid whether it will be harassment or whether they can really do it, because they know how to press a flat chest, but it is different with breasts – points out Dr. Katarzyna Szumlewicz from the Women's Rights Center. – Some people say that they simply do not know whether they are pressing in the right place because they have never been trained on a female phantom – adds Katarzyna Zięba from the “Bustowniczki” Social Campaign.

The question is, is it just a lack of knowledge, or is help really provided differently? – There is no difference between helping a woman and a man – emphasizes Anna Stawicka, coordinator of the Educational Program “We Save and Teach to Save” of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation.

The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation has trained three million people over the last dozen or so years. The lessons are first addressed to children to teach them from the very beginning that we provide help to everyone. – Children don't have these dilemmas. We, adults, look for excuses – admits Anna Stawicka.

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However, in a life-threatening situation, there is no room for excuses. – To put it very briefly, we behave as if the breasts were not there, i.e. we can imagine that it is a phantom, a man, and we do exactly the same compression technique – advises Professor Aleksandra Gąsecka, a cardiologist from the Medical University of Warsaw.

So we remind you: 30 compressions at the level of the sternum and two breaths – for both men and women. The greater or lesser chances of survival should not depend on who we are, and especially not on whether we are a woman or a man. Not fear or prejudice, but help should always come first.