The Context and Consequences of Sexual Harassment in Southeastern Archaeology

Abstract

In 2014, the Southeastern Archaeological Conference (SEAC) conducted a sexual harassment survey of its membership. The survey's goal was to investigate whether sexual harassment had occurred among its members, and if so, to document the rate and demographics of harassment. Our findings include a high (66%) level of harassment, primarily among women, with an additional 13% of respondents reporting sexual assault. This article provides an overview of the survey and responses. Additionally, we analyze survey data aimed at capturing change over time in harassment and assault, correlation between field and non-field tasks and harassment and assault, and correlation between gender of supervisor and harassment and assault. We also discuss the effects of harassment and assault on careers. We conclude with suggestions for decreasing the rate of harassment and assault and urge professional archaeological organizations to document sexual harassment and assault to mitigate the effects on their members and on the discipline as a whole.

Creating and Supporting a Harassment- and Assault-Free Field School

“…It is important to note that the NASEM directed these recommendations toward institutional leadership. Other scholars have reported similar recommendations or components of these recommendations as a means to support safe and inclusive field environments in anthropology, as well as other disciplines (Barthelemy et al 2016;Clancy et al 2014;Meyers et al 2018;Nelson et al 2017;St. John et al 2016).…”

“…conducting research in the southeastern United States, 66% reported sexual harassment and 13% reported sexual assault (Meyers et al 2018). Although not exclusive to field school students, these numbers-and others-suggest that instances of sexual harassment and assault are common and that student trainees are frequently subjected to such treatment (Clancy et al 2014).…”

“…Although the NASEM (2018) report gave little attention to the relationship between sexually inappropriate behavior and drug use, others have noted the link between the two, particularly when it comes to alcohol (Bacharach et al 2007;Carr and VanDeusen 2004;Fedina et al 2018;Gross et al 2006;Meyers et al 2018). Given the known link between substance use and sexually inappropriate behavior as well as the frequency with which sexually inappropriate behavior occurs in the field setting (Clancy et al 2014;Nelson et al 2017;VanDerwarker et al 2018), the discipline must call on field directors to implement alcoholand drug-free field schools among residential programs (Meyers et al 2018;Porter 2010). Even though alcohol consumption and drug use is often viewed as a field school rite of passage and a component of the culture of archaeology, it is time we reconsider what defines a formative archaeological field school experience.…”

Take Back the SAA

“…prevalence of both in archaeology (Clancy et al 2014;Meyers et al 2018) and the existence of previous SAA task forces charged with developing strong anti-harassment measures. We quickly identified a clause that required a bylaw referendum to go to a member-wide vote if the petition was endorsed by at least 10% of the SAA, or roughly 800 members.…”

Una mirada feminista a la comunidad arqueológica peruana

“…En esta misma línea, en lo que respecta a la arqueología, el ingreso del feminismo en la década de 1970 generó una serie de cuestionamientos en torno a la realidad que afrontaban y afrontan las mujeres al interior de sus distintas comunidades académicas. En Europa y Estados Unidos se pasó a exponer la necesidad de visibilizar los aportes de las arqueólogas en el avance de la ciencia (Berrocal, 2009, p. 29), la necesidad de democratizar las asignaciones de fondos de investigación (Gero, 1985), el papel determinante que juega la sexualidad en el desarrollo de las carreras académicas (She, 2000;Claasen,2000) y, de forma más reciente, el hostigamiento sexual (Meyers et al, 2018).…”