Mariel Barnes

Mariel Barnes is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who focuses on issues related to sexual violence through the university’s Sexual Violence Research Initiative. She has recently been in the news for her comments regarding the incidents of sex toys being thrown at WNBA games, which she deems as acts of sexual harassment directed at female athletes. Barnes argues that such actions reflect deeper societal misogyny and highlight the ongoing struggles women face in sports and beyond.