The Iceberg - recognizing various forms of sexual harassment

Excerpts from Picture a Scientist - some discussion from:

Paula Johnson MPH, MD, President, Wellesley College and Kathryn Clancy PhD, Biological Anthropologist

The best estimates are that about 50% of women faculty and staff experience sexual harassment, and those numbers have not really shifted over time. 

Generally speaking, sexual forms of sexual harassment like come-ons, unwanted sexual advances - those are actually the rarest forms of sexual harassment, they actually don't happen very much. Mostly you see put-downs.

We use the metaphor of an iceberg to get across the various forms of sexual harassment. What's gotten most of the attention is unwanted sexual attention, coercion - those are in the public eye and I think everyone would agree that we absolutely have to address those. And then you have all the stuff that's underneath. Those are actually more than 90% of the sexual harassment - you know, the subtle exclusions, being left off an email, not being invited to a collaboration where you are the clear expert...Just these little moments that make a woman feel like she doesn't belong. That is a really common experience. We found that consistent gender harassment actually has the same impact as a single episode of unwanted sexual attention or coercion. So it is not something to be ignored.

Other parts of the iceberg:

gendered insults, remarks about bodies or clothing, remarks about race, ethnicity, or religion, sabotaging of research, gender differences in salary, space, awards, resources, and response to outside offers




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