Raise your voice - bullying and harassment support line campaign launches
Our support line for scientists who have experienced bullying and harassment was featured in the Standard Issue podcast, coinciding with the launch of our new campaign resources.
Standard Issue, founded by comedian Sarah Millican, is an online magazine by women, for women. In their latest episode, they spoke to our CEO Helen Pain and inclusion and diversity senior programme manager Laura Norton about why we released our support line, and how it has been helping chemists since its launch in December 2019.
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The news coverage coincides with our “Struggling to talk?” campaign, which from this week is offering downloadable resources such as posters, a video, social media posts and powerpoint slides so you can help raise awareness that support is available to your community. Please help us support those who need it by letting your network know that this service is available.
The campaign’s design highlights that sometimes it can feel impossible to talk to friends and colleagues about your experiences – and our confidential and impartial support is for you, whatever your individual situation.
Our trained staff are just a phonecall or email away, and will offer a listening ear and signpost you to resources which may help. You might be the person targeted, a bystander, or the person accused of such behaviours – whatever your experience of bullying and harassment in the workplace, we are here to support you.
The initiative fulfils a commitment after our Breaking the Barriers and Exploring the workplace for LGBT+ physical scientists reports revealed problems with bullying, with accounts of intimidation and victimisation either holding back scientists’ careers or forcing them to change jobs.
Further recent evidence that the problem persists across science came from the Wellcome Trust, whose investigation found nearly two-thirds of researchers (61%) have witnessed bullying or harassment, and 43% have experienced it themselves.
Our goal is to make the chemical sciences – which remains a rewarding and worthwhile area to work in – an even better place to be. Our support line is only tackling the symptom of bullying and harassment, not the cause. Culture change will take a joined-up effort from across our whole community.
Please look out for your friends and colleagues – especially given the additional pressures and isolation that may come as a result of COVID-19 – and if you are in any way affected by bullying or harassment either directly, as a bystander, or as the person accused – give us a call.
Our confidential support line can be reached on 0800 5200115 (UK Freephone), +44 1223 624606 (International), from 8am–8pm (UK time) Monday–Friday, for impartial support. An email support service, alongside an FAQ, is also available at: rsc.li/support
The RSC’s bullying and harassment support line is supported by the Chemists Community Fund