A quick response is crucial when it comes to starting CPR, but social stigma means it isn’t always guaranteed when the patient is a woman.

International research shows bystanders are as much as 27 per cent less likely to perform CPR on women. And in Australia, studies show that when a defibrillator is needed, women are only half as likely as men to receive it.

To close the gap, St John WA and St Vincent’s in NSW have introduced female training mannequins to tackle the stigma head-on.

St John paramedic Megan O’Donnell said seconds matter more than social discomfort, as failing to act can potentially be lethal.

“They may need to have their bra removed for effective compressions, you may need to move breast tissue to get the pads from a defib onto her chest, and if it’s a co-worker… or a stranger on the street, that can sometimes be a bit confronting,” she said.

Because when a life hangs in the balance, uncertainty shouldn’t be the difference between survival and tragedy.

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