Freedom from Harassment for Scientists is Essential

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What is this about?

This report spotlights the alarming prevalence of harassment against scientists ranging from online abuse, doxxing, verbal and physical attacks to vexatious legal actions often intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic . It emphasizes that harassment is multifaceted and disproportionately targets women, LGBTQ+ individuals, ethnic minorities, early-career researchers, and those in high-profile fields like climate and pandemic science. Designed to be accessible, the report distills complex threats into digestible visuals and advice, balancing awareness raising with practical guidance through a two-part structure: first, elucidating forms and dynamics of harassment especially manipulation tactics such as ad hominem attacks, straw man arguments, and online toxicity and second, addressing what scientists can do when faced with harassment, with actionable steps like documenting incidents, seeking institutional or national support, considering formal complaints, and prioritizing mental well-being. In closing, it envisions a scientific culture anchored in fairness, respect, care, and honesty, and calls for collective responsibility—from institutions, governments, media, and platforms to protect scientists from harassment and safeguard science’s integrity

For whom is this important?

All stakeholders in research

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