Gender-based violence in tourism field research: An immediate action plan

Gender-based violence (GBV) and risk in tourism field research is an uncomfortable and under-discussed phenomenon. There is a need to open the discussion on occurrences of gender-associated risks in fieldwork and report on the unexpected dangers and risks for the inexperienced tourism fieldworker. For many tourism researchers, fieldwork involves immersing oneself solo in an unfamiliar social, cultural, and political environment. Insights gained, as reported here, are based on an exploratory study of 13 female tourism researchers from diverse backgrounds focusing on sexual harassment, race and gender, and strategies for risk-minimisation. The aim of this short communication then is to feature GBV by women when conducting tourism research and propose an immediate plan for action. Acknowledging GBV in the field, therefore, emerges as a crucial political, social, and ethical task in academia that raises questions about the equitable access to knowledge and knowledge production in tourism.