Treat harassment like scientific misconduct, women ask

Sexual misconduct in the workplace should be treated as seriously as scientific misconduct, according to a group of female scientists in the US. The women, many of whom work in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), looked at the gender-based barriers they face in their careers, including biases and sexual and gender-based harassment. While the prevalence of these behaviours is well known, less has been done on how institutions can address these problems, they say. They suggest harassment be treated like scientific misconduct, disclosed to funding agencies, and ask that greater mechanisms be put in place to protect the careers of victims.