The watchdog office overseeing the National Science Foundation is sending investigators to Antarctica's McMurdo Station after hearing concerns about the prevalence of sexual violence at the U.S. research base.
This AP News article is a much more complete piece than the above. What’s going on down there is not just a matter of repeated sexual misconduct, but much more about management misconduct.
Those in charge at McMurdo refuse to discipline or expel those workers who are doing it, no matter how bad/dangerous their actions, nor how often repeated. And worse, management has been forcing those enduring it to “put up and shut up” even when the stalking becomes life threatening as well as retaliating against employees who seek their help.
I’m guessing that the only reason the NSF is finally sending someone down there officially is because they’re getting sued, they can’t keep a lid on it in the press anymore, and it’s starting to lose them scientists . . . but not because they actually give a shit. Only time will tell if this investigation ends in a report that gets filed or actual change in how these situations are dealt with at McMurdo.
If those in charge weren’t going to protect her from the man she feared would kill her, she figured, she needed to protect herself. It wasn’t like she could escape. They were all stuck there together on the ice.
As always, the fish rots from the head; those in charge perpetuate the culture that leads a woman to fear enough to have to carry a fucking hammer around for self defense because nobody at the top will actually protect her.
Yes, exactly. And it wasn’t just the male management, it was ALL management. Liz Monahon was legitimately frightened for her life, and the female HR rep is only concerned that Monahon making a report would make others politically uncomfortable:
After a night in her new room, Monahon met with PAE’s HR representative, Michelle Izzi. Monahon claims Izzi discouraged her from reporting what happened to the deputy U.S. marshal, in part because it would create jurisdictional headaches and even an international problem, as Buckingham [one of the repeat sexual harassers/stalkers] was a New Zealand citizen. Monahon also says Izzi told her she needed to carefully consider how filing charges might affect her personally and impact the entire U.S. Antarctic Program.
[note in brackets added by me]
This AP News article is a much more complete piece than the above. What’s going on down there is not just a matter of repeated sexual misconduct, but much more about management misconduct.
https://apnews.com/article/women-working-antarctica-sexual-harassment-assault-mcmurdo-ba0e550fddf1ab0afd031ff4d25143cb
Those in charge at McMurdo refuse to discipline or expel those workers who are doing it, no matter how bad/dangerous their actions, nor how often repeated. And worse, management has been forcing those enduring it to “put up and shut up” even when the stalking becomes life threatening as well as retaliating against employees who seek their help.
I’m guessing that the only reason the NSF is finally sending someone down there officially is because they’re getting sued, they can’t keep a lid on it in the press anymore, and it’s starting to lose them scientists . . . but not because they actually give a shit. Only time will tell if this investigation ends in a report that gets filed or actual change in how these situations are dealt with at McMurdo.
As always, the fish rots from the head; those in charge perpetuate the culture that leads a woman to fear enough to have to carry a fucking hammer around for self defense because nobody at the top will actually protect her.
Yes, exactly. And it wasn’t just the male management, it was ALL management. Liz Monahon was legitimately frightened for her life, and the female HR rep is only concerned that Monahon making a report would make others politically uncomfortable:
Annnd now the entire world is watching plus the news came out, well done job there.
Freaking unbelievable