Sexual harassment and gender based discrimination are unfortunately widespread problems in science, but the current structures and hierarchies of academia mean that those affected by it often receive insufficient support and protection. Dr. Melina Dederichs has decided to take action, and has founded the non-profit organisation The Yellow Project. It aims to
Share knowledge and break the taboo around talking about harassment and discrimination by sharing stories of people’s lived experiences.
Support those affected by harassment by providing resources and helpful contacts.
In summer 2024, we met with Melina to learn more about the project and her experience as the founder of a non-profit.
Disclaimer: The Yellow Project is a platform which shares information and external resources. Neither The Yellow Project nor 500 Women Scientists Bern-Fribourg provide legal advice, medical advice, counselling or therapy.
500 Women Scientists: Could you introduce yourself for our readers?
Melina Dederichs: Yes sure! I’m Melina, I’m a psychological researcher and I’m very passionate about gender equality, especially in academia.
500WS: What does The Yellow Project offer?
MD: I am creating a comprehensive source of information that specifically addresses everyone who is affected by gender-based discrimination or sexual harassment in academia – because it is a special environment in many ways.
I want all relevant information to be in one place. So if you are affected by discrimination or harassment and you need quick access to help, you don’t have to forage through a lot of websites to find the information that you need. I want to share relevant resources, and I want to increase the visibility of existing contact points. There are often many different points of contact to seek help depending on their individual situation or what approach someone prefers. I want to help guide people through the process so that they can go to the place that best matches their case and needs.
I also want to share stories of lived experiences to empower people. Anyone who is affected by discrimination or harassment* is invited to share their story. We can publish it anonymously and (with the sharer’s consent) even explain patterns of harassment to help increase awareness.
We also interview researchers who are experts on the topic. So far, I have interviewed researchers who speak about microaggressions, women in STEM and sexual harassment in academia.
I want to break the taboo around some of these topics and show that there are accomplished researchers who successfully overcame adversity.
* Dr. Dederichs chooses not to use the terms victim or survivor, but rather the more neutral person affected by harassment.
500WS: Who is The Yellow Project for?
MD: We’re there for everyone who needs us! Primarily, we provide resources and points of contact for
those who are affected. We know it is a difficult situation to be in and that people might not get the support they need, so we are there for them - no questions asked. We also want to reach bystanders. We want to foster discussion around these topics so that people who aren’t directly involved are able to identify harassment and offer support.
We are for everyone, not any one particular group. We know that anyone can experience sexual harassment and we consider the intersectionality of discrimination.
So far we are focused on Germany and offer resources in German and English but I would like to expand that so we have resources for all over Europe and potentially even worldwide.
500WS: Why is it important to be independent of research institutions?
MD: In some cases* the person affected doesn’t feel like they receive sufficient help or that all necessary measures are taken to ensure their safety. There are equal opportunities officers who will go all the way to ameliorate the situation of the person who has been affected, but unfortunately, they sometimes cannot offer effective support because of the structure they are operating in.
*We do not claim that this happens in the majority of cases, only that it is a possibility to be considered.
500WS: A non-profit is such a huge project. Has it been in the works for a long time? What motivated you to take this step?
MD: Yes, it has been on my mind for many years. During my PhD especially, I noticed a certain hostility within the wider research system. I don’t agree with how many cases of harassment are currently handled – or actually not handled at all. Sometimes even quite severe ones are swept under the rug and there are no consequences for the offenders. Those who were affected in turn might not receive the support they need and even face scepticism or victim blaming. This is intolerable and we need to fix this. We should do better as a scientific community.
500WS: Starting a new non-profit organisation sounds like so much work. What has it been like so far?
MD: Founding a non-profit in Germany is...messy. There are so many things you need to know, so many regulations, institutions you need to contact. There are quite a few hurdles and I definitely made mistakes along the way. Fortunately I received help from another female founder who had recently gone through the same process. Without her help, The Yellow Project likely would not have happened.
By the way - I’m currently looking to expand the team of volunteers too, so if anyone reading is interested they are welcome to contact me!
500WS: You mentioned to me that when you talk about harassment, discrimination or bullying, people often tell you that they have experienced it, but that they didn’t realise quite how serious the situation was until it had already taken a huge toll on them. Could you tell us some red flags which might tell us that we or a friend is experiencing harassment?
MD: Research shows that this is the main reason why people don’t seek help: they do not recognise the behaviour as harassment at the time. Sometimes it takes time to realise, and it can be hard to spot when you are in the abusive environment. My tip: Usually, we feel that something is wrong before we understand what is happening. So if you have a bad gut feeling or feelings of discomfort and disgust, it’s worth looking into it. Another reason people don’t seek help is that they’re unsure if the incident is serious enough to report. So I’ll give you an overview of what can fall into the range of harassment. On one end of the scale, we have physical violence and indecent exposure, but things like sexually suggestive comments, comments on someone’s appearance, whistling, inappropriate emails and texts with sexual connotation, are also harassment. Another thing that’s good to know is that there are often certain patterns. There might be multiple situations where you have the “icky feeling” – often harassment is not an isolated incident – which increase in gravity. It might start out with a joke, then next time they touch your arm, and then it continues to escalate. That’s why it was important for me to create a low-threshold resource - if you have a bad feeling about someone’s behaviour, you can check our platform to clarify if what you’re experiencing could be discrimination or harassment.
What adds to the insecurity about the seriousness of an incident is that people often might not be validated in their experience. They might hear “They [the offender] didn’t mean it like that”, to which I say that doesn’t matter. Harassment is illegal whether the person intended to harass or not. Unfortunately, victim blaming is a very common occurrence. The harassed person might be accused of having misunderstood a situation or taking it too seriously and even persuaded not to report the incident. This often isn’t due to malicious intentions, which is why it’s so important to sensitise bystanders to offer appropriate and adequate support. Victim blaming can have detrimental consequences. It can lead to a re-victimisation and re-traumatisation. Many affected people told me that the way their case was handled was equally if not even more traumatising to them than the actual harassment.
As for bystanders: be attentive, educate yourself so that you can identify discrimination and harassment if you see them. Avoid invalidating statements, offer support and be available as a witness if needed. Ensure all conversations with the affected person remain confidential unless they request otherwise.
I don’t generally recommend addressing the harasser directly , especially if you might put yourself or the affected person in any danger. This of course also depends on the severity of the situation and other factors. A bystander training can help to learn when and how to intervene. Also do not try to mediate between the two parties. This is not a simple misunderstanding, it is a very delicate situation, we can’t try to just “clear the air” and then continue as normal.
500WS: Do you have a message for anyone out there who might be experiencing harassment or discrimination?
MD: I would like to tell you that you are not alone. I know that it can feel like it because the topic is often taboo, but you’re not. This is actually a very common experience in science, unfortunately.
It’s also not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong, you didn’t provoke it. Discrimination and harassment are not okay, and you have the right to a safe workplace.
Do not endure it, and don’t feel that you have to “fix” the situation by yourself. Find help. Find allies, find the support that you need and make sure that you are taken seriously. And finally stay strong, it will get better. While I can’t offer advice or counselling, I will try to help you find the support and resources that you need, and provide a platform if you want to anonymously share your story at https://theyellowproject.org/.
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