The science community knows it has a sexual harassment problem. That doesn't mean things are getting better.
Even after years of enacting policies to tackle sexual harassment, the STEM world doesn't have much progress to show, a study from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released Tuesday reveals. Sure, more women may be entering science than ever before, but that just means more women are dealing with harassment.
The National Science Foundation commissioned the report two years ago, and its 311 pages exposed some outrageous details. Women in engineering and medicine are more likely to face harassment than those in any other academic area, and almost half of women in medical fields have been harassed, Stat reports. Victims drop research projects, skip meetings, and quit jobs. And they opt not to report incidents because, just like in so many other industries, they fear retaliation and don't want to deal with drawn-out legalities.
The report demands an academic overhaul to begin solving this massive problem, per The New York Times. Universities could change how grants are doled out to ensure one adviser's bias isn't holding a student back, and lawmakers could let victims sue harassers directly so universities can't keep accusations anonymous.
Read more about the groundbreaking report at The New York Times.