Antarctic scientist is convicted of raping female researcher while pair were ‘resting in

An Antarctic scientist has been found guilty of raping a female researcher as the pair rested in a rent during ‘extreme’ conditions on an expedition.

The Chilean man, whose identity was withheld, was convicted of attacking the French researcher, whose identity was also withheld, while on a 2019 Antarctic expedition. 

He attacked her while ‘resting in a tent’ with her as they conducted a doctoral project on the Byers Peninsula. 

According to prosecutors in Magallanes, southern Chile, he took advantage of the ‘extreme and inhospitable conditions of the place’.

The Chilean man will be handed his sentence on October 3. Chile currently puts rapists behind bars for between three and 15 years. 

Sexual assault and harassment are deeply prevalent for those working in research stations in Antarctica, according to a 2022 poll. 

The study, conducted by the US’ National Science Foundation, found that 72% of women cited sexual harassment as a problem, while 48% of men said the same.

As for sexual assault, 47% of women said it was a problem, while 33% of men said the same.

An Antarctic scientist has been found guilty of raping a female researcher as the pair rested in a rent during ‘extreme’ conditions on an expedition (File image of Antarctica)

One respondent told the survey: ‘Every woman I knew down there had an assault or harassment experience’.

Helen Fricker of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, said of the 2022 study: ‘The report is more shocking than I expected. 

‘I mean, literally, people talked about being raped’.

Another report published that year by the Australian Antarctic Division detailed instances of sexual harassment, unwanted physical contact, sharing of offensive or pornographic material, sexist jokes, and more.