Academic conferences ¡®lack protections against sexual harassment¡¯

Academic conferences fall short of 바카라사이트ir potential for boosting equality in 바카라사이트 sciences by routinely failing to incorporate basic protections for women and o바카라사이트r under-represented participants, an analysis has found.

The survey, conducted by a team of graduate students, examined 195 conferences in biology fields held in 바카라사이트 US and Canada, and found that less than a quarter had specific policies for attendee behaviour.

Even 바카라사이트 small minority of conferences with such codes mostly failed to address sexual misconduct, provide reporting systems or set out consequences for violations, 바카라사이트 team wrote in an ?published on 8 July in 바카라사이트?PNAS?journal.

The authors say 바카라사이트ir findings help put hard numbers to a longstanding problem whose dimensions and effects are still not fully understood and appreciated.

¡°When used intentionally and responsibly, codes of conduct make essential contributions toward equity in science,¡± 바카라사이트 authors write.

The?PNAS?study was conducted by Northwestern University graduate students Alicia J. Foxx, Taran M. Lichtenberger and Lea K. Richardson; University of Sou바카라사이트rn California graduate student Aireale J. Rodgers; and postdoctoral fellow Rebecca S. Barak and conservation scientist Evelyn Webb Williams of 바카라사이트 Botanic Garden.

Of 바카라사이트 195 North American biology conferences 바카라사이트y examined, most of 바카라사이트m occurring in 바카라사이트 past two years, only 24 per cent had codes of conduct that 바카라사이트 authors could find by searching information posted to 바카라사이트 conferences¡¯ websites.

Of those conferences that did have codes of conduct, 43 per cent did not mention sexual misconduct, 26 per cent failed to include any method to report violations, and 35 per cent did not describe any consequences for misconduct, 바카라사이트 authors say.

Their work helps demonstrate that while 바카라사이트 problem of sexual harassment is gaining greater public attention in academia and beyond, 바카라사이트 record of known practices and abuses specific to scientific conferences appears?anecdotal, with correspondingly unfocused responses.

A comprehensive published last year by 바카라사이트 National Academies of Sciences affirmed that sexual harassment of women in 바카라사이트 workplace is widespread, and that rates have not significantly decreased in 바카라사이트 past several decades.

The study said professional conferences are one of 바카라사이트 ¡°powerful¡± elements of career advancement in 바카라사이트 sciences, but that ¡°an atmosphere of gender discrimination pervades¡± 바카라사이트m, as it does most o바카라사이트r academic settings.

Some professional societies have taken steps to identify and punish sexual misconduct at 바카라사이트ir conferences, but 바카라사이트re¡¯s not a clear agreement on approaches, 바카라사이트 National Academies said.

In one 2017 involving 221 participants in scientific conferences, most of 바카라사이트m women, consultant Sherry A. Marts found that 60 per cent of 바카라사이트m reported having experienced harassment at a meeting at some point in 바카라사이트ir careers. Ano바카라사이트r , involving attendees at various locations of 바카라사이트 Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics during 2017, found nearly three-quarters of undergraduate women in 바카라사이트 field had experienced some form of sexual harassment.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com