Takeaways from AP’s investigation into sexual harassment and assault at Antarctica’s McMurdo Station

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — Many women who work at McMurdo Station, the main United States research base in Antarctica, say the isolated environment and macho culture have allowed sexual harassment and assault to flourish. The National Science Foundation, which oversees the U.S. Antarctic Program, published a 2022 report in which 59% of women said they’d experienced harassment or assault while on the ice. But the problem goes beyond the harassment itself, The Associated Press found. In reviewing court records and internal communications, and in interviews with more than a dozen current and former employees, the AP uncovered a pattern of women who said their claims of harassment or assault were minimized by their employers, often leading to them or others being put in further danger.