Harassment, assault, bullying and intimidation (HABI) in archaeology: a Europe-wide survey

Awareness of, and debate about, harassment, assault, bullying and intimidation (HABI) in archaeology has grown in recent years, but the issue remains under-researched. Here, the authors present the first Europewide survey to evaluate HABI in archaeological environments, from field to laboratory and classroom. The survey covers 18 forms of HABI, collecting more than 1000 responses from archaeologists of 49 nationalities. A total of 82 per cent of respondents report at least one HABI experience. The authors conclude that HABI is endemic in European archaeology, being experienced by all genders and ages, in multiple settings and countries. Documenting these behaviours is a critical first step to eradicating them and to achieving equity and safety in the discipline. Keywords: survey questionnaire, abusive behaviours, archaeological fieldwork, gender, HABI guidelines
Introduction Archaeological practice takes place in a wide diversity of contexts, from fieldwork to laboratories and offices. These contexts induce various degrees of psychological and physical intimacy between practitioners, which [...]