Campus Reform: ‘Dog park rape’ author Helen Wilson lied about credentials
A bizarre article on “dog rape culture” at dog parks made headlines in June and prompted Campus Reform to dig into the life and credentials of its author, Helen Wilson.
The outlet’s investigation prompted an update which began with the “publishers and editors of the viral academic article on ‘rape culture’ in Portland dog parks admitted Monday that the author may have breached the publishing agreement by misleading them about her credentials.”
Yes, Wilson doesn’t appear to be who she claimed to be.
They stated that “a Campus Reform investigation conducted after the article was published on May 22 revealed that no Feminist Studies PhD program in the United States has any record of Helen Wilson.”
Wilson claimed to to editors of the Gender, Place, and Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography, that she held a doctorate in Feminist Studies when she submitted her study—“Human Reactions to rape culture and queer performativity at Urban dog parks in Portland, Oregon.”
Fake news?
Campus Reform added that: “Wilson also claimed to be the lead researcher at the Portland Ungendering Research (PUR) Initiative, but upon further inspection, it appears that the website for the initiative was only published four days after Wilson submitted her article. Since then, it has only ever existed with a disclaimer that it was being ‘taken down,’ and is now completely defunct.”
The journal now has published an “Expression of Concern” regarding the veracity of the article.
“We, the Editors and Publishers…are issuing an expression of concern for [Wilson’s] article,” the statement begins, explaining that “This is due to a suspected breach of the following Publishing Agreement clause, signed by the author during the publication process.”
“You warrant that: All persons who have a reasonable claim to authorship are named in the article as co-authors including yourself, and you have not fabricated or misappropriated anyone’s identity, including your own,” notes the statement Wilson affirmed.
“To date, [Helen Wilson] has not responded to our request to provide appropriate documentation confirming their identity,” the editors’ statement concludes. “This Expression of Concern will remain in place until this documentation has been received and checked.”
Campus Reform noted that “editors would not say whether they would consider retracting the article in light of the author’s unsubstantiated identity and research.”
Check out their full coverage HERE