Perverts on Ice: OIG Inspectors Sent to McMurdo Station in Antarctica, to Tackle Its Culture of Rape and Sexual Assault

Down at the White Continent, it’s every woman for herself.

McMurdo Station is a United States Antarctic research station on the south tip of Ross Island, on the shore of McMurdo Sound in Antarctica.

‘Mac-Town’, as the station people call it, is a cluster of buildings hugging the frozen shore, operated by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

It’s the largest community in Antarctica, with up to 1,200 residents, a hub for American activities on the ‘snow desert’, a place tasked with doing science that can’t be done anywhere else on earth.

It’s also a place reportedly riddled with rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Now, the watchdog office overseeing the NSF is sending investigators to Antarctica’s McMurdo Station to tackle concerns about the prevalence of sexual violence at the U.S. research base.

Associated Press reported:

“Meanwhile the NSF, a federal agency, said it’s furthering its own efforts to address the ‘pervasive problem’. It announced Friday it is appointing Renée Ferranti as a special assistant to the NSF director to focus on sexual assault and harassment prevention and response.”

An AP investigation in August showed women at McMurdo Station who said their claims of harassment or assault were minimized, leading to them or others being put in further danger.

The NSF Office of Inspector General is sending investigators for a site visit from Oct. 30 through Nov. 17.

“’We are in the process of expanding our investigative mission to include the investigation of criminal violations that occur in Antarctica’, Lisa Vonder Haar, the chief of staff for the OIG, wrote in an email to the AP confirming the visit. ‘Such violations include aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, and stalking’.”

Vonder Haar said its special agents ‘have been responding remotely’ to complaints from workers in Antarctica since July. The OIG now plans to have a presence on the ice during future summers.

One woman in the AP report siad she felt compelled to carry a hammer – for protection – at all times. Another reported that a colleague had groped her – but was made to work alongside him again.

Yet another woman said that bosses downgraded her allegations from ‘rape’ to ‘harassment’.

“A 2022 NSF report found 59% of women said they’d experienced harassment or assault while on the ice. Alcohol was a factor in some cases.

In October, the NSF decided to stop serving alcohol at McMurdo Station’s bars, although workers can still buy a weekly alcohol ration from the station store. The NSF told the AP the alcohol changes were related to morale and welfare, and were not aimed at preventing sexual harassment or assault.”

On Friday, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said he was delighted to welcome Ferranti, who had more than 25 years of experience in sexual assault prevention.

“‘Addressing this pervasive problem remains a top priority for me and the agency, and with Renée’s expertise we will continue to adapt and further accelerate our efforts to address the evolving landscape of sexual assault prevention and response’, Panchanathan said in a statement. Ferranti said in the release she hopes ‘to make a meaningful impact to advance NSF’s progress in addressing sexual violence’.”

Read more:

Perverts on Ice: Plagued by Sexual Harassment and Assault, US McMurdo Station in Antarctica Stops Serving Alcohol in Bars – Alleged Victims Weigh In on the Measures

Perverts on Ice: 60% Of Women Have Suffered Some Form of Sexual Harassment or Assault in US McMurdo Station in Antarctica

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