Safe spaces: Tackling sexual harassment in science

Far away from the red carpets of Hollywood, an aspiring scientist in Guyana, South America, is being discouraged by her parents from going on a field trip because of worries for her reputation and safety. They’ve heard stories of what can happen to young women on such expeditions. “Often more than 90 percent of our field staff are male,” logistics assistant Natasha* told Mongabay. “I’ve heard reports of sexual harassment, and when females go along on these trips, particularly if they are young and unmarried, there’s a perception that because she’s with these men, she will be having sex. Valid or not, this is discouraging for women.” This is #metoo in the world of conservation. There are no shiny pins saying “Time’s Up.” No speeches. No applause. Just ordinary women beating back inappropriate sexual comments, unwanted advances and aggressive behaviour to progress in their chosen career. A field biologist conducts a survey for special status plants. NPS photo. In 2017, high-profile reports of sexual harassment at the hands of male scientists and professors rippled across the scientific community and even into the mainstream media, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Under the surface When Angela* heard the news reports about sexual harassment of scientists in Antarctica it brought back unpleasant memories of her own time at McMurdo, the largest US research center on the icy continent. “When I saw the headline, there were at least three people I was guessing it would be,” the life sciences doctor told…

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