A recent survey has revealed that half of the women scientists worldwide have faced sexual harassment. The survey was conducted by the polling company Ipsos on behalf of the L’Oreal Foundation.
The survey conducted by the organization showed that nearly half of the cases occurred after the MeToo movement was founded in 2017.
The survey respondents said that they had “personally experienced at least one situation” of harassment. The survey had the following findings:
- The survey has reveled that nearly half of the cases occurred after the MeToo movement was founded in 2017.
- It had a detrimental effect on their careers for 65% of the women.
- Additionally, only one in five informed their institution about the harassment.
The survey data also showed that nearly 65% felt that not enough was being done to combat workplace sexism and sexual harassment. Highlighting sexual harassment the survey found that one in five employees said they felt unsafe at work, and about half said they avoided certain employees at their organizations.Â
“This survey confirms that science has not been through enough of a revolution since the MeToo movement,” Alexandra Palt of the L’Oreal Foundation told AFP.
The survey said, “One-fourth of those polled admitted to encountering someone who “inappropriately and repeatedly referred to me as a girl… doll, babe or chick” or insulted them in some other way.
“Twenty-four percent said they had been asked “intrusive and repeated questions about my private or sex life that make me feel uncomfortable,” the survey added.
The survey was conducted among more than 5,000 researchers in 117 countries. The respondents to the questionnaire worked in fields including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
