If someone collapsed in front of you right now, would you step in?
Most people say yes. But the evidence tells a different story, especially when the person on the ground is a woman.
Right here in the UK, women are less likely to receive CPR when suffering cardiac arrest in public and are significantly less likely to receive bystander CPR than men. Not because people don’t care. But because hesitation, social anxiety, and gaps in training are getting in the way at the worst possible moment.
This is the CPR gender gap. And in the UK, it’s very real.
What the Numbers Actually Show
Research published in the European Heart Journal found that only 68% of women are less likely to receive CPR by a bystander, compared to 73% of men. That gap continues through to survival. From cardiac arrest to hospital admission was 34% for women compared to 37% for men, and women are also less likely to survive from admission to discharge (37% versus 55%).
The Resuscitation Council UK has responded to this research directly, urging people to intervene immediately regardless of the gender of the casualty. Every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10%.
And yet. Women are still left on the ground by bystanders that hesitate.
The NHS ambulance services treat approximately 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually in the UK, but survival rates remain low at around 7 to 8%. Bystander CPR is one of the most powerful tools we have to change that. For every 30 patients who receive bystander CPR, one additional life is saved.
Why Are People Hesitating?
This is the uncomfortable part. Women are less likely to receive CPR because the reasons are very human.
Research from St John Ambulance, surveying 1,000 UK adults, laid it out plainly.
A third of Brits are afraid to give CPR to a woman because they’re worried about touching her breasts.
A third of men (33%) said they were concerned they would be accused of inappropriate touching when giving chest compressions to a woman in cardiac arrest in public, compared to 13% of women.
Nearly a quarter (23%) of people surveyed admitted they are less likely to give CPR to a woman in public than a man.
These aren’t bad people. These are ordinary members of the public who haven’t been given the confidence, context, or training to act.
Here’s what else gets in the way:
“I didn’t want to hurt her.” Many bystanders assume chest compressions are somehow more dangerous for women. They’re not. The technique is identical regardless of gender or body type. A broken rib is survivable. Cardiac arrest without CPR very often isn’t.
“I wasn’t sure she was actually having a cardiac arrest.” An important factor in women not receiving CPR is that bystanders did not recognise they were having a cardiac arrest, which resulted in delays in calling emergency services and providing treatment. Women’s symptoms don’t always match the dramatic chest-clutching we see on TV, and that costs critical minutes.
“I’ve only ever practised on a male mannequin.” Most CPR training still uses male-presenting mannequins. That lack of familiarity creates a confidence gap that shows up in exactly the moments it matters most.
This Is Happening in UK Workplaces Too
Cardiac arrest doesn’t only happen on the high street. It happens in offices, warehouses, factories, and shops.
Your workplace first aiders are statistically among the most likely people to be the bystander in a cardiac emergency. The question is: are they confident enough to act on anyone, regardless of gender?
If your team hasn’t had recent, quality first aid training, the chances are these same hesitations exist right now. That’s not a criticism of your team. It’s a fixable gap.
If hesitation is costing lives in public spaces, imagine the consequences in a workplace where your team spends most of their waking hours.
Myth‑Busting: CPR and Women
Even well‑intentioned people hesitate during an emergency because of persistent misconceptions. These myths cost lives — so let’s dismantle them clearly and quickly.
Myth 1: “CPR is different for women.”
Fact: The technique is exactly the same. Same hand position, depth and rate. Breasts do not change how CPR is performed.
Myth 2: “I could get in trouble for touching her chest.”
Fact: UK law protects bystanders who act in good faith to save a life. Chest compressions are a medical intervention — not inappropriate contact.
Myth 3: “Women don’t have cardiac arrests as often.”
Fact: Women experience cardiac arrest too, but bystanders are less likely to recognise it. That delay — not biology — is what reduces survival.
Myth 4: “I might hurt her.”
Fact: CPR can cause bruising or broken ribs in any person. These injuries are survivable. Cardiac arrest without CPR is not.
Myth 5: “I’m not trained to give CPR to a woman.”
Fact: If you’re trained to give CPR, you’re trained to give CPR to everyone. The barrier isn’t technique — it’s confidence.
What Good First Aid Training Changes
Research confirms that training can make a huge difference. 64% of UK respondents agreed that their comfort levels would increase with the right support and training and combat the fact that women are less likely to receive CPR.
Quality first aid and CPR training should give your people:
- Confidence to act on any person, regardless of gender, size, or body type
- The ability to recognise cardiac arrest in women, whose symptoms can differ from the classic presentation
- A clear understanding that CPR technique doesn’t change based on who’s in front of them
- Practice and repetition that makes hesitation less likely when it counts
The Resuscitation Council UK puts it simply:
Doing something is always better than doing nothing.
But people need training to truly believe that and act on it.
Book First Aid Training with TP Safety Services
At TP Safety Services, we deliver expert-led first aid training that builds genuine confidence, not just a certificate.
Whether you need to train a small team or an entire workforce, we’ll make sure your people are ready to respond to anyone, in any situation.
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