Survey of Academic Field Experiences (SAFE): Trainees Report Harassment and Assault

Summary

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.

Key Points

• 1Many trainees experience harassment and assault during scientific fieldwork
• 2Women trainees are primarily targeted, often by more senior individuals
• 3Most respondents were unaware of reporting mechanisms and those who reported incidents were often unsatisfied with outcomes
• 4Improved policies emphasizing safety and inclusivity are vital for changing field experiences
• 5Principal investigators have significant influence on workplace culture at research sites.

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