A London paramedic has spoken about the lasting impact of being sexually assaulted by patients while trying to help them — and about a court case that took nearly 18 months to reach court, only for the sexual assault charges to later be dropped.
Lauren Gunyon, 28, who works for the London Ambulance Service, has faced physical attacks, sexual assault and threats from patients while on duty. In one incident, she was assaulted by a patient while on a call with crewmate James Gordon, who was also assaulted during the call.
She said she feels really distressed by what happened, adding: “I don’t do my job to be hit or touched by patients against my wishes.”
The man received a suspended sentence for assault. Ms Gunyon said she and her crewmate felt the case was not taken seriously, and that they were surprised at how little punishment he received — especially given how such experiences change a person.
Mr Gordon said the assault may last seconds, but the psychological impact can last long after the incident, adding that it is difficult to feel protected by a system that does not always make staff feel their safety matters.
Her story comes as part of the London Ambulance Service’s Respect campaign, which reported 462 incidents of sexual abuse between July 2025 and July 2026. Those incidents included groping, sexual threats, indecent exposure, explicit comments and sexual violence.
London Ambulance Service chief executive Jason Killens said no one should face this behaviour at work, yet it happens to its people every day, and that those who assault ambulance workers should face consequences that reflect the seriousness of their actions.
The campaign figures underline that Ms Gunyon’s experience is not isolated: hundreds of ambulance workers reported sexual abuse in a single year, ranging from threats and comments to physical assault.
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