How Sexual Harassment Disproportionately Targets Marginalized Graduate Students in Ecology and Evolution
Recent research reveals a disturbing pattern: sexual harassment is disproportionately pushing students with multiple marginalized identities out of science careers. A groundbreaking study from Colorado State University surveyed 782 graduate students across 94 U.S. ecology and evolutionary biology programs and found that nearly 40% had experienced sexual harassment during their graduate studies. More startling was the finding that more than 50% of the harassed students identified as LGBTQ+ and/or BIPOC women, indicating that intersecting marginalized identities compound the risk 6 .
"These findings represent more than just statistics—they reveal a systemic problem that threatens both individual careers and the broader scientific enterprise. When talented researchers are driven from their fields, science loses diverse perspectives crucial for innovation and problem-solving."
Behaviors that convey hostile, insulting, or degrading attitudes about a person's gender. This most common form includes sexist remarks, demeaning comments about women's abilities in science, or sabotaging equipment 1 .
Unwelcome verbal or physical sexual advances that aren't rewarded with professional benefits. Examples include persistent requests for dates despite rejection, unwanted touching, or inappropriate sexual comments 1 .
| Type of Harassment | Definition | Examples in Academia |
|---|---|---|
| Gender Harassment | Behaviors that convey hostile, insulting attitudes about a person's gender | Sexist jokes, demeaning comments about women's scientific abilities, sabotaged equipment |
| Unwanted Sexual Attention | Unwelcome verbal or physical sexual advances | Persistent unwanted requests for dates, inappropriate touching, sexual comments |
| Sexual Coercion | Making professional benefits contingent on sexual cooperation | Linking research opportunities, funding, or recommendations to sexual favors |
Research indicates that two primary conditions increase the risk of sexual harassment: organizational tolerance for such behavior and male-dominated environments. Unfortunately, academia often features both, particularly in science, engineering, and medicine 7 .
Academic science environments are frequently permissive of harassment—when targets report incidents, they often face retaliation or see no consequences for perpetrators.
Ecology, evolution, and other STEM fields remain male-dominated, especially in senior positions, creating power imbalances that enable harassment.
The groundbreaking research conducted by Colorado State University scientists provides the most detailed picture to date of sexual harassment in ecology and evolution graduate programs. Led by Kate Wilkins, the team employed a rigorous methodological approach to capture experiences across diverse institutions and student populations 6 .
Graduate Students Surveyed
U.S. Ecology & Evolution Programs
The research team surveyed 782 graduate students from 94 different U.S. ecology and evolutionary biology programs, creating one of the most comprehensive datasets on this topic.
The survey was designed to measure several key dimensions: prevalence of harassment, characteristics of incidents, impacts on careers, reporting behaviors, and intersectional factors.
The researchers employed statistical analyses to identify patterns in harassment experiences across different student populations, with particular attention to intersectionality.
| Identity Factor | Prevalence of Harassment | Key Findings |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 38% | Nearly 4 in 10 graduate students experienced harassment |
| Gender | Higher for women | Women reported more frequent and severe harassment |
| LGBTQ+ Status | >50% of harassed students | LGBTQ+ students disproportionately targeted |
| Racial Identity | >50% of harassed students | BIPOC women experienced compounded harassment |
| Multiple Marginalized Identities | Highest rates | Students with 2+ marginalized identities most vulnerable |
More than 35% of respondents limited or ceased professional engagement activities due to harassment experiences.
Over 20% indicated that harassment influenced their career trajectory, including no longer wanting to pursue academia.
Of students who reported harassment, 40% only told family and friends, while disclosures to official entities like Title IX offices (15%) and Equal Employment Opportunity offices (3%) were much less common.
When reports were made to formal entities, "the rate of dissatisfaction with the outcomes among BIPOC survivors was much higher than among white (non-Hispanic) respondents" 6 .
| Impact Area | Percentage Affected | Manifestation |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Engagement | >35% | Limited or ceased participation in professional activities |
| Career Trajectory | >20% | Changed career goals, left academia entirely |
| Educational Progress | Significant portion | Delayed degree completion, changed advisors or programs |
| Mental Health | Widespread | Increased stress, anxiety, depression affecting work |
The evidence is clear: sexual harassment represents a significant systemic problem in ecology and evolution graduate programs, disproportionately affecting students with multiple marginalized identities and driving talented researchers from the field. This not only harms individual careers but impoverishes scientific innovation by excluding diverse perspectives.
Address sexual harassment as scientific misconduct that violates professional standards and undermines research integrity 6 .
Build anti-harassment norms into continuing education programs, including bystander intervention training that empowers community members to respond effectively 6 .
Include resources on syllabi that clearly outline formal reporting avenues and confidential support organizations, making this information accessible from day one 6 .
Develop continuing education programs specifically for advisors and graduate students that move beyond one-time training to create ongoing engagement 6 .
"We don't want people taking just one class and thinking they are done with training. We need to continue to educate ourselves and others so we can be vigilant allies to our peers, colleagues, and mentees, who continue to be harmed by sexual harassment" 6 .
Creating truly inclusive scientific communities will require acknowledging that current environments don't equally support all researchers. It demands confronting uncomfortable truths about power, identity, and privilege in academic spaces. Most importantly, it calls for transforming both institutional policies and daily interactions to ensure that scientific potential—regardless of whose it is—is no longer derailed by harassment and discrimination.