Royal Society of Chemistry to set up harassment helpline

The UK’s learned society for the chemical sciences is setting up a confidential helpline to help chemistry researchers suffering from bullying and harassment.

The Royal Society of Chemistry says that it expects to launch the helpline in summer 2019. While all calls will be anonymised, the society hopes it will give it an idea of the dimension of the problem within the chemical sciences, Ale Palermo, head of diversity at the society told Research Fortnight.

“Through the helpline we will listen and support people who want to approach us,” she said.