Majority of women feel ashamed when on their periods, research suggests

Forty-two per cent of women have experienced period-shaming, new research shows
Shutterstock/Birgit Reitz-Hofm
Meaghan Spencer8 January 2018

The majority of women have felt a sense of embarrassment because they were on their period, new research has shown.

The study, commissioned by THINX, a company that makes period-proof underwear and aims to tackle the stigma surrounding menstruation, suggested that 58 per cent of women have felt ashamed of it in some way.

Some 1,500 women from around the country were involved in the poll, which also found that the majority of women feel the need to actively hide the fact that they are on their period.

Nearly three quarters admitted to having hidden pads or tampons from view as they went to the bathroom, the study showed.

Five hundred men were also surveyed and it was found that 44 per cent admitted to having made a joke or comment on a partner’s mood when she was on her period.

While at work, more than half of men studied said they believe it’s inappropriate for women to openly mention menstruation while in the workplace.

In March of last year, reports emerged of girls missing school because they were on their period and didn’t have the sufficient sanitary products.

One girl who spoke to BBC Radio Leeds explained how she had to deal with her period each month: “I wrapped a sock around my underwear just to stop the bleeding, because I didn’t want to get shouted at.”

“I once Sellotaped tissue to my underwear. I didn’t know what else to do.”

On average, a woman can expect to spend an estimated £18,000 on sanitary products in their lifetime.

The Government has been called upon to tackle ‘period poverty’ by following the lead of Scotland in providing low-income families with sanitary towels and tampons.

In December, hundreds of protesters took to Westminster to raise awareness and put an end to period poverty as part of the #FreePeriods campaign started by 18-year-old Amika George.

Celebrities including Suki Waterhouse and Adwoa Aboah joined others in wearing red and waving banners that included captions such as “bleeding is not a luxury”.

According to statistics from THINX, 42 per cent of women have been subjected to period-shaming, with one in five being made to feel this way by comments made by men.

A spokeswoman for the organisation has said that this is a major part of the stigma surrounding menstruation: “Period-shame is something a lot of women feel, starting with their very first cycle, which can occur as young as eight years old.”

“Those feelings of embarrassment and self-hate are then reinforced by society, which tells women that their bodies should be clean and tidy, and if they aren’t, well that’s not something to be openly and honestly discussed. By anyone.”

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