We are petitioning any CPR training classes provided in Washington State to incorporate CPR training on breasted bodies to help close the gender discrepancy in CPR access.

According to the Duke School of Medicine, women are 14% less likely to receive bystander provided CPR than men. Between 2013 and 2023, over 8,200 women in the UK and Wales have died due to hesitancy related to receiving CPR as promptly as men. Studies have shown that fear of inappropriate breast exposure, accusation of sexual assault, and injury as to reasons why women may receive less bystander provided CPR.

Therefore, exposure is a must.

To combat these challenges, our team has developed the “ReviveHer”-- a universal breast attachment for CPR manikins, enabling CPR training on both breasted and non-breasted bodies. We developed ReviveHer with the goal of eliminating gender disparities in CPR. Keeping this mission in mind, the ReviveHer breast attachment destigmatizes breasted bodies in emergent, life-threatening situations. The ReviveHer is designed with anatomically accurate breast geometry that simulates natural movement when lying flat, complemented by hyper-realistic areolas and nipples for enhanced realism.

By providing a more authentic training experience, the attachment aims to desensitize trainees to the presence of female anatomy, thereby reducing hesitation and improving the quality of care breasted individuals receive during cardiac emergencies.

Currently, most CPR training is performed on male, non-breasted mankins. Most CPR certified individuals will never practice providing CPR to breasted bodies. Washington has the opportunity to lead the way in championing gender-inclusive CPR training. We are petitioning any CPR training classes provided in Washington to incorporate CPR training on breasted bodies to help close the gender discrepancy in CPR access.

It's time to act and demand change. Sign this petition to urge CPR training organizations in Washington to adopt accurately breasted manikins. Your signature can help pave the way for life-saving, equitable medical practices that recognize and respect the right of every individual to receive life-saving care. Please sign to support this vital initiative!

Disclaimer:

For our work at ReviveHer, we use vocabulary such as “women” and “female.” CPR can be delayed to any person with breasts, some of whom do not identify as women. On our website and materials, you may notice that the words “women” and “female” are interchanged - this is purely due to the current gender binary in literature in CPR. We acknowledge that having breasts is not exclusive to women, nor do all women have breasts. We strive to use gender inclusive language when we are not referencing existing data and literature. 

Sources:

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.118.004710​

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/16/uk-women-who-suffer-cardiac-arrest-in-public-less-likely-to-get-cpr-study-finds​

https://cpr.heart.org/en/training-programs/community-programs/cpr-for-women#:~:text=receive%20bystander%20CPR-,Women%20are%20often%20less%20likely%20to%20receive%20bystander%20CPR%20because,heart%20problems%20and%20overdramatize%20incidents.