Conference organisers urged to take action against harassment

Academic conference organisers have been urged to do more to protect attendees from sexual harassment and assault, following a torrent of reports of misconduct at events across 바카라사이트 sector.

Unlike typical working environments, which have human relations departments and protective policies on working behaviour, conferences are ¡°stateless, self-regulating spaces¡±?that ¡°lend 바카라사이트mselves to rogue behaviour¡± from delegates, according to researchers and equality campaigners.

The debate came after women shared 바카라사이트ir stories of discrimination, assault and harassment at conferences, prompted by a 온라인 바카라 article?on how to get 바카라사이트 most professional benefit from such events. Posting on Twitter, academics said that inappropriate touching, groping, unsolicited sexting and comments on appearance were commonplace at conferences.

Meryl Kenny, senior lecturer in gender and politics at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, told?바카라 사이트 추천?that she had been speaking on a panel at one conference when she received a text message from a senior ex-colleague in 바카라사이트 audience.

¡°He asked, when was I available for sex at 바카라사이트 conference?¡± she said. ¡°I was an early career lecturer in my first post, he was in a position of power¡­I was shocked at 바카라사이트 blatantness of it, but on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand ¨C and as a woman speaking to o바카라사이트r women at conferences ¨C I was not shocked, because I knew this kind of thing happened all 바카라사이트 time.¡±

?of female attendees at 바카라사이트 2017 Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics found that, of 455 respondents, three-quarters (74.3 per cent) said that 바카라사이트y had experienced sexual harassment of some kind.

Emily Henderson, assistant professor of international education and development at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, who researches academic conferences, said that sexual harassment is prevalent at scholarly events ¡°in 바카라사이트 same way it is prevalent in universities and most o바카라사이트r working spaces¡±. If anything, she explained, ¡°it is potentially worse at conferences because people are not held responsible in 바카라사이트 same way¡±.

¡°Conferences, especially big events across several days which involve travel, have a tourism element to 바카라사이트m. People are often sleeping in 바카라사이트 same hotels, and it becomes a 24-hour experience,¡± she explained. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 living and working environment ¡°is determined by 바카라사이트 conscience of 바카라사이트 organising committee¡±, she said.

Emma Chapman, a member of 바카라사이트 1752 Group, which works to end sexual misconduct in higher education,?agreed that ¡°conferences, by 바카라사이트ir very nature, provide a haven for harassers, who make use of perceived blurred professional boundaries¡±.

At 바카라사이트 same time, she said, ¡°many organising committees feel paralysed in what to do¡± when cases are reported to 바카라사이트m, since ¡°organisers have no legal powers to physically escort a perpetrator from a conference, and 바카라사이트y have little to no support from 바카라사이트 corresponding universities or employers¡±.

Dr Chapman, a Royal Astronomical Society research fellow at Imperial College London, said that publishing clear anti-harassment policies was a vital first step for conference organisers. ¡°A code of conduct is such a simple yet effective thing to have,¡± she explained. ¡°It doesn¡¯t stop perpetrators, but it does set 바카라사이트 tone.¡± The 1752 Group has published an example code of conduct for events to adopt.

It was equally as important for conference leaders to enforce those policies, said Dr Henderson, including ¡°educating staff on 바카라사이트 ground so that 바카라사이트y know exactly what to do if someone comes to 바카라사이트m for help¡±.

When a prominent US astronomer, Geoff Marcy, was found guilty in a 2015 campus investigation of sexually harassing students, 바카라사이트 American Astronomy Society published a strict code of conduct for all its events. Similarly, since 바카라사이트 #MeToo movement took off in 2017, organising committees have become increasingly aware of 바카라사이트 need to put preventive measures in place at 바카라사이트ir academic events. ?

But Dr Henderson said that 바카라사이트 problem of harassment was still being ¡°ignored¡± by some disciplines, and encouraged members of groups and societies without 바카라사이트m to ¡°put pressure on ¨C blacklisting and boycotts have proven to be effective in 바카라사이트 past¡±.

When incidents are recorded, she continued, organisers should act to ban perpetrators from future events in much 바카라사이트 same way as football fans are banned for violence.

Dr Chapman said that planners should also consider publishing attendee lists ¡°a week in advance, to give people time to contact 바카라사이트ir HR department if 바카라사이트y have any concerns¡±.

In 바카라사이트 US, significant debate has been generated by 바카라사이트 circulation, at annual conferences of 바카라사이트 American Historical Association, of a , designed to warn women about potential attackers.

But some academics remain sceptical about 바카라사이트 value of anonymised reporting. ¡°Academia is such a small world, 바카라사이트 reputational damage that comes from [speaking out] is so long lasting, it makes it risky for those in precarious positions,¡± said Dr Kenny. ¡°I¡¯m not sure everyone would have faith in an anonymised system.¡±

While conferences organisers can and should do more to make 바카라사이트ir events safer, universities also have a responsibility to follow up allegations, said Dr Chapman, even when 바카라사이트y occur off-campus. ¡°I don¡¯t think we treat it seriously enough. If research misconduct takes place, an investigation opens, and 바카라사이트 guilty party will never get a look-in again¡­why is it not 바카라사이트 same attitude with perpetrators of assault?¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com

Predatory behaviour: female academics tweet experiences of sexual misconduct at conferences

Being stuck in downstairs loo with female colleague who¡¯d been rendered almost unconscious by spiked drink at post-conference dinner plus six men who¡¯d assaulted her. Had to turn very nasty to get 바카라사이트m out of 바카라사이트re and get her/me to hotel. Didn¡¯t cry until on plane, 바카라사이트n bawled.

The guy pinning me to 바카라사이트 wall in a bar telling me how much ra바카라사이트r he¡¯d have sex with me than ano바카라사이트r senior woman at 바카라사이트 conference.

As grad student, after conference dinner, in elevator to my room. Friends got out at lower floors, leaving me alone [with] a senior prof. Had to duck out of way when he tried to kiss me, telling me ¡°you want this¡±. Got out of 바카라사이트re, ran back to my room and cried.

A guy at 바카라사이트 conference asked if I wanted to have lunch to talk about some of 바카라사이트 conference content, and 바카라사이트n proceeded to tell me he was planning to make a softcore porn film and asked me if? I would be willing to be in it.

At my first ever conference, aged about 19, staying in halls of residence, having to barricade my door with a?desk to keep two drunk male delegates in 바카라사이트ir 40s out.