From sex requests to hiding periods, how women weather out 'blokey' culture at Australia's Antarctic bases
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA: Women working at Australia's Antarctic bases are allegedly often subjected to sexist jokes, porn displays, and even propositioned for sex. They are also forced to hide their periods so they can apparently fit in with a "blokey" culture. Female expeditioners have claimed that the Antarctic research stations are plagued by predatory and objectifying behaviour. Women have to face widespread sexual harassment, a bombshell review has claimed, drawing a furious response from the Australian government.
The report, commissioned by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), speaks of women who claimed they had to "practically conceal" periods and improvise menstrual products when none were really available. The study was conducted by University of Tasmania professor Meredith Nash. It comprises in-depth interviews with 22 AAD employees, and informal conversations with many more.
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"Whilst women in this study found a range of ways to individually cope, the more concerning issue is that people who menstruate feel compelled to uphold a male-dominated field culture in which menstruation is concealed and controlled to meet masculine cultural norms," the summary reads, according to the Daily Mail.
Meanwhile, Professor Nash told ABC, "I think on some level, it is unethical for us to continue trying to encourage women to enter a male-dominated field if we are not confident that organisations can keep them safe." AAD director Kim Ellis that the findings have deeply concerned him. He said "significant progress" has been made alresy on implementing over 40 recommendations. "It doesn't matter how many people may have experienced this behaviour - we know that under-reporting is almost certainly a factor - the fact anyone at all experiences this treatment is not okay," he said in a statement.
Women at the Antarctic research stations said the place is "blokey", describing how there is a culture of widespread, low-level sexual harassment. "Given the under-representation of women ... (especially during winter) some women also described the culture as 'predatory' and 'objectifying'," the study says.
According to participants, women went through harassment including uninvited physical contact or gestures, unwelcome requests for sex, sexual comments, jokes or innuendo, intrusive questions, displays of offensive or pornographic material and sex-based insults or taunts. They also claimed the place had a homophobic culture.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she was shocked to read the experiences of people. "As a minister, I take a zero-tolerance response to sexual harassment in any workplace I am responsible for," she said. "'I was actually gobsmacked to read some of the reports here talking about pornographic material up on the walls (because) I really did think that we had eradicated this (type of) thing ... decades ago."
The AAD has reportedly accepted all recommendations. It maintains three permanently manned stations. The recommendations include the creation of an equity and inclusion task force. Targets will be set to increase diversity among expeditioners. Usually, employees spend six or 12 months at the bases under their contracts. The time could be reduced in case they are home, or if there is an emergency.
Accepting jobs with the AAD would mean agreeing to not to engage in sexual harassment or forms of "extreme behaviour" outlined in a code of personal behaviour. Examples one can see on the AAD recruitment page include "Disorderly behaviour, including being violent, threatening, insulting or abusive" and "indecent exposure and other gross, obscene or offensive acts".
"Sexual harassment is any unwanted, unsolicited and unreciprocated behaviour of a sexual nature that is objectionable to another individual," the page reads. If the code is breached, it can result in counselling, reprimands, and an early return to Australia. It can additionally result in the referral to the authorities of any matter with legal repercussions.