Additional Information

Available Through

Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard

Language

English

Notes

Little is known about the climate of the scientific fieldwork setting as it relates to gendered experiences, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. We conducted an internet-based survey of field scientists (N = 666) to characterize these experiences. Codes of conduct and sexual harassment policies were not regularly encountered by respondents, while harassment and assault were commonly experienced by respondents during trainee career stages. Women trainees were the primary targets; their perpetrators were predominantly senior to them professionally within the research team. Male trainees were more often targeted by their peers at the research site. Few respondents were aware of mechanisms to report incidents; most who did report were unsatisfied with the outcome. These findings suggest that policies emphasizing safety, inclusivity, and collegiality have the potential to improve field experiences of a diversity of researchers, especially during early career stages. These include better awareness of mechanisms for direct and oblique reporting of harassment and assault and, the implementation of productive response mechanisms when such behaviors are reported. Principal investigators are particularly well positioned to influence workplace culture at their field sites.

Taxonomies

RPA Codes & Standards

• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Colleagues, Employees, and Students

CIfA Codes

• Principle 5: Recognition of aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers in all matters of employment

Keywords & Terms

• Equity and Representation; Discrimination and Harassment
• Professional Standards
• Workplace Safety Standards

Topics & Issues

• #metoo
• Decolonizing Archaeology
• Equity, Representation, and Diversity
• Ethical Case Studies
• Ethical Dilemmas
• Feminism and Intersectionality
• Gender and Sexuality
• Gender Equality
• Professionalism and Professional Standards
• Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, and Other Forms of Discrimination