Stroke patient, 75, died as she lay helpless in hospital bed *content warning - sexual assault MNHQ*

[FightingtheFoo]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9563237/Stroke-patient-75-died-sexually-assaulted-lay-helpless-hospital-bed.html

"A stroke patient 'died after being sexually assaulted' as she lay ill in a hospital bed, an inquest heard.
Valerie Kneale had been admitted to Blackpool Victoria Hospital following a stroke and had later broken her leg when falling from a chair.
The 75-year-old's condition deteriorated and she died four days later.

A male hospital worker was arrested on suspicion of murder, rape and sexual assault and has since been bailed pending further inquiries.
Opening the inquest, coroner for Blackpool and Fylde Alan Wilson said: 'Concerns had been raised about a potential injury around the genital area.
'This prompted a police investigation by Lancashire Constabulary.'

The autopsy revealed that although Mrs Kneale did have a significant stroke, the pathologist did not think it was the cause of death.
Mr Wilson said: 'She said that was due to an internal and external haemorrhage which was in turn due to a vaginal laceration or tear.'

The pathologists' report believed it was caused by a sexual assault after she was admitted to hospital.
Mrs Kneale died on November 16, 2018."

I am just full of rage. She was at her most vulnerable and was failed, yet again, by the system. We should be marching.

@Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong

Stroke patient, 75, died after being raped as she lay helpless in hospital bed

Ugh! This is what is so wrong with how all these cases are reported. Look at this headline again. So who raped this poor woman? Not clear from the original headline, is it? How about instead the media started to report headlines according to the truth: -

Man rapes Stroke patient, 75, as she lay helpless in hospital bed who then died.

All too often, we know the perpetrators are men but the media are always coy about owning it - they imply that these things just happen from nowhere in particular. It makes me so cross.

I completely agree. Man rapes woman to death is the correct headline. Those boys who attacked the girls where one fell between the train and the tracks is the same. Male gang attacks girls. should be the headline, not 'woman knocked on track by teens'.

Every single time this happens it should reflect male violence. Man kills wife and family. Man rapes woman. Man attacks woman.

All these headlines seem as though women are just being attacked randomly. If every single time the word male or man was included, it would be very recognisable, very quickly.

I completely agree. Man rapes woman to death is the correct headline. Those boys who attacked the girls where one fell between the train and the tracks is the same. Male gang attacks girls. should be the headline, not 'woman knocked on track by teens'.

Every single time this happens it should reflect male violence. Man kills wife and family. Man rapes woman. Man attacks woman.

All these headlines seem as though women are just being attacked randomly. If every single time the word male or man was included, it would be very recognisable, very quickly.

Absolutely. Reporting in media needs to be clear it is men and male violence that is the source of all these crimes being inflicted on women.

Every single time this happens it should reflect male violence. Man kills wife and family. Man rapes woman. Man attacks woman.

Good, we need more of us to come out and state this, vocally and hard. I wonder how we can push media reporting to be "clear it is men and male violence that is the source of all these crimes being inflicted on women." ?

Absolutely, there’s too much use of passive voice in reporting violence against women.

Sandgrown

This is utterly grotesque. For this violent act perpetrated by a man to happen to a vulnerable and defenceless woman in hospital, and for her to die from her injuries without anyone even knowing what had happened. It makes me feel sick. And the hospital was already under investigation because of incidents of poisoning FFS.

My very elderly mother was in hospital for almost three weeks last year at the end of her life, and nobody was allowed to visit her because of Covid. She was totally alone and dependent on the staff to take care of her and keep her safe from harm. It makes me so distressed to read a story like this and my heart goes out to the Kneale family. I can’t even begin to imagine what they must be feeling to hear that the male perpetrator is out on bail.

To the person that asked about what else is going on at the hospital well there were allegations of mistreatment and neglect at the hospital as well as poisonings and there was something else cannot remember what but I think all on the stroke unit.

So awful, Bail?how? Surely they have DNA evidence so he’s only not guilty until the end of trial. Surely he is a danger to women everywhere.

Agree about headline. Man rapes stroke patient who bleeds to death as a result of injuries on an NHS ward is more accurate.

This is so awful. That poor lady.

I had a stroke a couple of years ago and I can remember how terrified I was on the ward, feeling helpless and listening to people older and sicker than me screaming and shouting in fear. I am now lying in bed at home, absolutely terrified of having another one. I can’t stop shaking.

@Marcia1989

And yet women are not entitled to single sex hospital wards.

Would that also mean no male medical staff at all on the wards (considering it was a male member of staff in the article)? How would that work? I agree it should be single sex wards - how does that fit in with gender neutral and trans - massive can of worms.

Such an awful incident. The safety of women in hospitals is such a low priority. I wonder how much £££ is spent on measures to protect vulnerable women in hospital compared to the amount spent on pandering to male led groups demanding that males self identifying as women have the health service remodelled to meet their demands?

www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/health/vic-murder-victim-died-from-horrific-genital-injury-inquest-is-told-as-medic-remains-on-bail-3231938?fbclid=IwAR3CDc_YQ3Ylg1756vnZQ81pT4_iexRMj-lWMJvBj01CGF4sU3yPElZkD2w

More information about this and all the cases at the stroke unit (patients died through overuse of Zoplicone) on the local newspapers site.

Why is someone who is under investigation for two rapes (including this lady), a sexual assault of a staff member and a murder of a patient on bail?!

So we could be at Tesco or in the park walking and encounter this evil scum? Why is that in the best interests of the public? Do the police magically think because he’s not on a ward anymore that he’s somehow safe to be out in public? He couldn’t control himself around his patients and colleagues. What if he encounters pretty much any woman in public ever?

Also, I’m sure from what I heard previously that this case was only discovered because of the investigations into the Zoplicone deaths. The cause of death wasn’t found until months later. I wonder how long this man was working there. Funerals were cancelled in the midst of the other investigations.

@GurlwiththeCurl

I had a stroke a couple of years ago and I can remember how terrified I was on the ward, feeling helpless and listening to people older and sicker than me screaming and shouting in fear. I am now lying in bed at home, absolutely terrified of having another one. I can’t stop shaking.

Many Hugs.

So sorry GurlwiththeCurl Stories like this are so frightening I know.

They can't say that man raped woman until it's been proven in court though. The headline has to be written in such a way that it's legal otherwise it's prejudicing the trail. Innocent until proved guilty.

Why has the thread title been changed to completely obliterate any mention of the horrific act of male violence that caused this poor woman's death? We really are not allowed to speak of male violence are we? She just happened to die as she lay helpless in bed? WTAF?

Oh my god

GurlwiththeCurl

It completely proves the point that PPs have made about how this kind of attack is reported. FFS. I expected better from MN than from our shitty media.

This is so sickening. I agree the disgusting man who did this should not be out on bail. Targeting the elderly, poorly and vulnerable is on a level with targeting young children.

This poor woman was completely helpless and the worst thing about it is a hospital is somewhere she should have been safe and cared for. Her family must be devastated.

When you put "content warning: sexual assault" the sexual assault could have been at any time, and towards anyone in the news story. It completely obscures what's happened here.

Oh god

That poor woman.

Absolutely horrific

Omg, how horrific

That poor woman.

I had a stroke a couple of years ago and I can remember how terrified I was on the ward, feeling helpless and listening to people older and sicker than me screaming and shouting in fear. I am now lying in bed at home, absolutely terrified of having another one. I can’t stop shaking.

so sorry you went through that.

This is horrific. The sexual abuse, murder of Valerie Kneale by a male employee, the inadequate response by those with a Duty of Care to female patients and staff and the reporting.

My thoughts are with all those affected.