Documenting Cultures of Harassment in Archaeology: A Review and Analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Studies

Abstract

This article is the first of a two-part series to analyze current research on harassment in archaeology. Harassment has shaped the discipline of archaeology since at least the late 1800s. Since the 1970s, harassment has been recognized as a significant factor impacting gender equity in archaeology. Recent qualitative and quantitative research has verified that harassment occurs at epidemic rates in archaeology. Archaeologists are primarily harassed by other archaeologists, and harassment occurs not only in field research settings but also in classrooms, laboratories, museums, office workplaces, and conferences. Although women in archaeology experience a higher frequency of harassment, both men and women report harassment at disturbingly high rates. Archaeologists of color, LGBTQIA+ archaeologists, nonbinary archaeologists, and archaeologists with disabilities are also disproportionately harassed. As reflected in the author's own career experiences, harassment creates a cognitive burden for survivors and reduces access to professional opportunities, directly impacting diversity within archaeology. Fortunately, there are evidence-based interventions and policies that can reduce harassment and support survivors. These are discussed in the second article, “Disrupting Cultures of Harassment in Archaeology.”

Disrupting Cultures of Harassment in Archaeology: Social-Environmental and Trauma-Informed Approaches to Disciplinary Transformation

“…Recent research indicates that 15%–46% of men archaeologists and 34%–75% of women archaeologists have experienced one or more harassment events during their careers. A staggering 5%–8% of men archaeologists and 15%–26% of women archaeologists report unwanted sexual contact, including sexual assault (Voss 2021:Table 1).…”

“…This article is the second in a two-part series that reviews and analyzes research on harassment in archaeology and related fields. Whereas the first article (Voss 2021) documented the extent of the problem, this one outlines evidence-based solutions that can disrupt cultures of harassment in archaeology. The approaches outlined here build on two public health paradigms: the social-environmental model and trauma-informed care.…”

Editor's Corner

“…Younger voices in our membership have expressed outrage, despair, and frustration with the lack of attention and oversight into the problems of doing archaeology in today's social and political climate. Rampant harassment in the form of come-ons to and put-downs of females in our profession, which by all accounts is ubiquitous (see Voss 2021a, 2021b), is just one lens through which to ponder the problems in our discipline. Another lens through which to examine problems facing archaeology include the ethics and morality of how we obtain, analyze, curate, and work with sacred items, burials, and objects of patrimony that have regionally specific historical and contemporary trajectories related to museums and repositories.…”

The Field School Syllabus

“…Although participation in a field school likely results in positive outcomes, some students may experience negative impacts. When investigating research participation in field-based disciplines-including archaeology-scholars found that students, trainees, and early career professionals frequently experience sexual harassment during field research (Clancy et al 2014;Hodgetts et al 2020;Meyers et al 2018;Nelson et al 2017;Radde 2018;VanDerwarker et al 2018;Voss 2021a). Although these studies have not explicitly investigated the frequency of sexual harassment at field schools, students may experience or witness harassing behavior in this setting.…”

“…We focus on understanding how a student's sense of safety and inclusivity is impacted by field school sexual harassment and assault policies as detailed in field school documents. Recent literature identified the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault in archaeology and its insidious effect of excluding many from the discipline, amplifying the need for additional research (Clancy et al 2014;Hodgetts et al 2020;Mary et al 2019;Meyers et al 2018;Nelson et al 2017;Radde 2018;VanDerwarker et al 2018;Voss 2021a).…”