Canadian Physics Counts: Considering How Identity Relates to Experiences of Harm within the Canadian Physics Community

TL;DR

This study presents the first comprehensive survey of equity, diversity, and inclusion in Canadian physics, revealing significant disparities in experiences of harassment and discrimination among marginalized groups.

Contribution

It provides new, detailed data on how identity factors relate to harm experiences within Canada's physics community, highlighting urgent areas for intervention.

Findings

Women and gender-diverse physicists face twice the harassment rate of men.

Black and Indigenous physicists experience higher levels of harassment and sexual assault.

Physicists with disabilities are disproportionately affected by various forms of harm.

Abstract

Harmful experiences such as harassment and discrimination continue to push many people out of science. To better understand identities and experiences of harm among physicists, we conducted Canadian Physics Counts, the first comprehensive national survey examining equity, diversity, and inclusion within Canada's physics community. To better understand identities and experiences of harm among physicists, we conducted Canadian Physics Counts, the first comprehensive national survey examining equity, diversity, and inclusion within Canada's physics community. We explored experiences of harm focusing on personal harassment, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. We measured both direct experiences of harm and awareness of harm happening to others. Our analyses revealed that women and gender-diverse physicists reported experiencing personal harassment at twice the rate of men, a pattern consistent across all academic positions, including students and early-career researchers. An intersectional focus revealed even deeper inequities. Black women and men reported the highest rates of personal harassment, while Indigenous women and men faced elevated levels of sexual harassment. Physicists with disabilities were disproportionately affected. Disabled women and gender-diverse respondents reported the highest rates of personal and sexual harassment and sexual assault, and disabled men experienced more personal harassment than men without disabilities. These findings are a clear call to action to the physics community to confront racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism so every physicist can thrive and contribute to solving society's greatest challenges.