This week let’s talk about sexual harassment in academia. Over the last few days we have heard our friends, colleagues, mentors, and students publicly acknowledge their experiences with sexual harassment and assault using #MeToo on social media. Have you done this yourself? Some have been brave enough to share full stories, others are simply retweeting #MeToo. All of these posts are important to pushing the conversation forward and forcing the community to acknowledge openly that sexual harassment is a deep rooted issue. Here are two actions you can take to fight sexual harassment in science:
Talk. Have a frank discussion with the younger generation of women scientists in your sphere. Let’s help them be prepared and safe, especially in the field, at conferences, and at workshops. Here are our 8 steps to fight sexual harassment.
Share. If you haven’t done so already, listen to Liz Neely’s Story Collider about a situation that sounds all-too-familiar Also, see this recent article. Unfortunately, these aren’t unusual stories. We must continue to share. Feel free to do so below.