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Harassment at Antarctic research bases could spell problems for moon,
Mars outposts
News
By Elizabeth Howell published 2 hours ago
Antarctica is an isolated, confined environment similar to those that
might be on future moon or Mars bases.

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a series of squat buildings on a hillside covered in snow
View of the US McMurdo Station in Antarctica on November 11, 2016.
(Image credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)
Warning: This story contains details of violence that may be disturbing
to some readers. You can find resources and help for survivors at the
U.S. Department of Justice website.

More than 40 percent of respondents to a new survey experienced a sexual assault or sexual harassment during recent Antarctic research
expeditions, according to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

Antarctica is a common analog for spaceflight or stay on a future moon
base or Mars settlement due to its remote nature. NSF pledged to work
with its own participants, as well as to share information with other organizations working in remote environments, for assessment, prevention
and follow-up.

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"NSF is committed to fostering and maintaining a culture free from
sexual violence wherever NSF-funded activities are conducted, including
in Antarctica," a spokesperson told Space.com over email about the
report, which was released in July. "NSF is dedicated to keeping the
USAP [U.S. Antarctic Program] community safe."

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In a report in Nature, a scientist and past participant in NSF polar
work said the survey is "an important step" towards addressing issues
with harassment. "Surveys like this play a critical role in documenting
lived experiences that have too often been ignored or minimized," said
Asa Rennermalm, a physical geographer and polar scientist at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Nature's report added that NSF (like NASA) has been threatened with
large budget cuts by the White House, and the entire government is also
being targeted by the Trump administration for matters relating to
diversity, equity and inclusion. These two factors, the Nature report
added, make it unclear to what capacity NSF can respond to the findings.

The NSF spokesperson told Space.com, however, that the foundation
pledged to use the survey results "as a way to ensure continuous program improvement based on lived experiences," particularly because of the
quality of the data collection.

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Antarctica is an example of an isolated, confined environment rCo just
like a spacecraft or a potential future base on the moon or Mars. A term
for such locations, Isolated, Confined, and Extreme environments (ICE),
simply put, includes zones where humans must work in an operational (and
often dangerous) environment far from the usual supports of home.

Submarines, research bases and spacecraft are some examples of ICE and
there are decades of studies regarding how to support individuals in
these environments, according to a separate 2021 study in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

The teams that will work best in ICE should be properly screened and
selected to deal with "leadership, coping and interpersonal skills
training rCa during and after long-duration missions," the authors of the
2021 study said. The study was co-authored by the University of Southern California's Lawrence Palinkas and the University of British Columbia's
Peter Suedfeld, who are frequently cited among both ICE researchers and
space scientists.

Generally speaking, NASA has spent decades integrating studies of ICE to improve conditions for its astronaut training and living. For example:
ISS crews are put through many rounds of ICE environment training before leaving, including working in caves, underwater habitats, and wilderness excursions. Astronauts in space speak with a psychologist at least once
every two weeks, according to the Canadian Space Agency. Long-duration astronauts in particular are given rest days to pursue hobbies, call
family or friends, and generally to relax.

an overhead view of a series of buildings on a snowy landscape

Satellite imagery of McMurdo Station in Antarctica. (Image credit: DigitalGlobe via Getty Images)
Antarctic scrutiny
Regarding Antarctica, USAP has been under recent scrutiny by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The committee started an investigation after a 2022 report by NSF and partners, concerning sexual assault and harassment during NSF activities in Antarctica.

The House committee found "serious deficiencies" in 2024 with how NSF
was managing USAP, and made recommendations for remedies. (The committee
has also, more generally, investigated sexual assault, sexual
harassment, blacklisting and similar activities in scientific programs
since 2017.)

The new NSF survey, done alongside several external partners, canvassed
2,760 individuals who deployed with the NSF Office of Polar Programs
between 2022 and 2024. Roughly 25% of those canvassed, or 679 people, completed the survey.

Participants, however, were asked to complete different inventories that
had their own response rates.

For example, 521 individuals completed a "victimization inventory", in
which 40.7% of respondents said they had experienced at least one
instance of sexual assault or sexual harassment. Among the victimization respondents, the survey found that more than half of those affected by
these incidents (59%) were female. Responses were nearly evenly split
(48% and 52%) between those deployed less than a year, and those
deployed for between one and four years.

A "bystander inventory" generated 572 responses, in which nearly 70%
(68.7%) of respondents said they had witnessed an incident of sexual
assault or sexual harassment. Nearly half (44.5%) said the most recent incident they witnessed was part of a series of issues. (Broadly
speaking, assault or harassment was classified into four categories by
NSF: as "sexual harassment and stalking", "unwanted sexual attention",
"sexual coercion, and "sexual assault.")

NSF emphasized to Space.com that the Antarctic survey was not meant to
be representative "of the specifics of spaceflights," but the
spokesperson noted that sharing the results may allow "other
organizations operating in remote environments [to] learn and benefit
from our approach."

"It is essential to conduct a needs assessment or data collection to
inform and guide strategic efforts, ensuring they are grounded in the strengths of an organization while also assessing risk factors that are specific to your environment and community," the spokesperson added.
"While prevention efforts can be adapted, it is critical to understand
the dynamics of the participants."

Recommendations of the Antarctic survey, in NSF's words, include:

Decrease the prevalence of victimization and bystander incidents.
Increase both formal reporting and informal disclosures by decreasing
barriers to reporting and improving trust, and accountability.
Increase positive norms related to intervening as a bystander.
Decrease norms that support and encourage behaviors.
Increase recognition of problem behaviors that can lead to perpetration
of behaviors.
Increase supervisors' engagement in and initiation of SA/SH prevention efforts.
The foundation has already implemented some of the report
recommendations, including case tracking of incidents and better
bystander intervention training. More details are available in a
memorandum about the report.

"We are carefully reviewing the recommendations, and considering our
next steps to ensure that we continue to take effective actions within
our available resources," the spokesperson added. For example, NSF said
the program office is ready to assist those participants who experienced sexual assaults, and has a dedicated web page available for reporting
and other needs.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions,
night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment,
let us know at: community@space.com.

Elizabeth Howell
Elizabeth Howell
Former Staff Writer, Spaceflight (July 2022-November 2024)
Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., was a staff writer in the spaceflight channel between 2022 and 2024 specializing in Canadian space news. She
was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years from 2012 to 2024. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, leading world coverage about a lost-and-found space tomato on the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches
on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I
Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.

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Comment by skiyourbrain2287.

sk

skiyourbrain2287
32 min ago
Interesting articlerCa sharing information is always good succumbing to
budget threats from the Executive Branch as a way to dodge any
investigation and or enforcement of policies is a moral cop out .. it
puts a price tag on the safety of its staff in remote locations
apparently even future space missions basically forgoing any kind of enforcement for a favorable view from the White House .. itrCOs a typical money over morals .. where money wins out and women become targets.. NSF
rCa Never Safe for Females.. our errr ahhh so called leadershiprCa rCL Well we just donrCOt have the cash for your safety ..ever rCL sad that but we are studying it rCa wow .. itrCOs a sad disturbing joke .. from a morally rudderless agency to appease a morally rudderless Administration.. ahhh
Space The Final Frontier.. but in reality it just becomes the same old
same old rCa just a more deadly locationrCa. But they are Studying it rCa. Right ..?

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Comment by Bennett.

Be

Bennett
42 min ago
Make neutering and spaying mandatory for everyone who goes there.

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