Ordering beer, syrup or Antarctic cocktails will no longer be permitted at McMurdo Research Station as of Sunday. Antarctica’s largest base is restricting the serving of alcohol after reports of inappropriate behaviour. However, a spokesman denied a direct link between these.

With approximately 250 residents in the Arctic winter and more than 1,000 in the summer, McMurdo is the largest settlement in Antarctica. The American base was established in 1956, 3,500 kilometers from New Zealand, and today includes more than a hundred buildings, three airports, and the southernmost port in the world.

The US news agency AP wrote last month that many women feel unsafe at the Arctic base. in a report A year ago, 72% of women described inappropriate behavior as a problem there, and 59% indicated they had experienced it themselves.

For example, the Associated Press spoke to a woman who had to continue working for the man who harassed her because no one else could handle his work. Another woman was fired by the girlfriend of the man she recently accused of sexual assault.

A third woman was threatened by a colleague who had already obtained a restraining order against his ex-wife at home. The executives asked her not to press charges because it might cause an international incident due to their different nationalities and unclear jurisdiction.

The victims speak of a masculine culture at the base because 70% of those present are men. What doesn’t help is the remote location, lack of contact with the outside world, and lack of a full police service: there is only one policeman and no cell.

To combat abuse, McMurdo has already announced better information, as well as stricter oversight and better recording of complaints. Work is also being done to improve satellite internet to reduce the feeling of isolation among residents to decrease.

This Sunday there will be an additional ban on the service. The Coffee House’s entertainment room will be completely alcohol-free. Gallagher’s and Southern Exposure bars serve guests’ own drinks only. Everyone at McMurdo gets a weekly alcohol ration of eighteen beers, three bottles of wine, or 750 milliliters of spirits.

The National Science Foundation denies that the decision is a response to reports of misconduct. A spokesperson said the measure should benefit public morale and well-being as McMurdo’s population begins to grow again before the southern hemisphere summer.

The women the AP spoke to aren’t entirely positive about the move. “What happened to me happened during work hours, without any alcohol,” answers Britt Barquist, who was groped by one of her colleagues. “This new policy will not prevent such cases.”

The report on the abuse also cautioned against blaming alcohol for everything. An anonymous employee was quoted as saying: “The problems start outside the bar.” “It starts during working hours, in the dormitory, on the way to the base, and even in Christchurch,” he said, referring to the starting point of the trip to Antarctica. “This is a systemic problem caused by behavior, not alcohol.”