Amid rampant sexual harassment, US' Antarctica base McMurdo limits alcohol for workers

At the United States' main Antarctica base station, cases of sexual harassment have become rampant.Reportedly, many of these cases involved drinking, and starting Sunday, workers at the McMurdo facility will no longer be able to walk into a bar and order a beer.

Boozy rations

As per an AP report, the McMurdo Station will not be entirely dry. Instead, researchers and support staff will be able to buy a weekly ration of alcohol from the station store.

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The workers would still be able to visit McMurdo's two main bars, Southern Exposure and Gallagher's, but they'll have to take their own alcohol with them.

According to the report, the current alcohol ration allows McMurdo staff to buy up to 18 beers a week, or three bottles of wine, or 750 millilitre (25 ounces) bottle of spirits or equivalent.

A third venue, the coffee house, used to serve alcohol but is now entirely alcohol-free and will be open to workers any time of day or night.

Increase in sexual harassment cases

Recent months have witnessed a steady increase in the number of sexual misconduct cases at America's main Antarctic base.

As per a National Science Foundation (NSF) report published in 2022, 59 per cent of the women reported a negative experience of harassment or assault while in Antarctica,72 per cent of women said such behaviour was a problem on ice.

Speaking to AP, many women said"they were left to fend for themselves against sexual harassers."

A previous report by AP also found a pattern, where women working in Antarctica found their claims of sexual harassment minimised by employers.

In many of these cases, alcohol played a role. However, as per NSF, the changes involving alcohol were related to morale and welfare at the base, and had nothing to do with preventing sexual harassment or assault.

However, the NSF said it was instituting several new measures aimed at preventing sexual harassment and assault at the base.

It has published a list of several new measures, including enhanced training, a new survey to collect data and monitor trends, and visits to the ice from experts, all of which will help deal with incidents of sexual assault in Antarctica.

"We will not rest until we are confident that every member of the Antarctic community feels safe and supported," said Karen Marrongelle, the NSF's chief operating officer in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

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