By MAXINE FRITH
The myth of the superwoman who easily combines family life with a successful career has been exploded by a British survey which shows working mothers feel overworked, underpaid and at breaking point from stress.
Lack of support from their managers and their spouses means most working mothers believe they emotionally damage their children and risk their own health.
The survey of 5000 women in Britain for Top Sante magazine found that decades after feminism's fight for female rights in the workplace, women have become disillusioned with careers and "sisterhood."
Three-quarters of women think they are underpaid, 62 per cent feel overworked, and 77 per cent believe career stresses damage their health.
More than half (58 per cent) say the stress causes them to shout at their children and 80 per cent think being a full-time working mother emotionally damages their youngsters.
Only 6 per cent of the women had access to a company creche, and 56 per cent of employers made no allowances for working mothers.
Even when both partners are working, 80 per cent of women say they do most household chores and have the main responsibility for children.
Most say they have to work harder than men to get promotion, and having a baby affects their career.
Only one in five is happy with her caree: four in five are disillusioned with the world of work.
Virgin chief Sir Richard Branson was voted the boss for whom women most wanted to work.
More than half (56 per cent) believe women are more aggressive than men, and eight out of 10 say female bosses abuse power as much as males.
But the office does offer relaxation, the survey found. A third of women admitted to a sexual relationship with a male colleague - and 12 per cent said they had had a fling with their boss.
- INDEPENDENT
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